BEIJING - Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese Liu Xiaobo desecrated the prize and could harm China-Norway ties, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said on Friday.

Ma made the remarks in a press release after he was asked to comment on the award, which was announced earlier in Oslo, Norway.

Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Dec 25, 2009, after a Beijing court convicted him of agitation aimed at subverting the government.