China has canceled a planned football (soccer) match against Burma due to the regional bird flu outbreak.
Chinese state-run media report there are restrictions for Burmese players to enter China as they reside in Chinese officials call a "bird flu-hit" area. They did not elaborate.
China's official Xinhua news agency says the football friendly was scheduled as a warm-up for China's national team before its World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong.
Bird flu has been blamed for 22 deaths in Vietnam and Thailand and the slaughter of millions of chickens and other poultry across southeast Asia.
Information for this report is provided by AP and Xinhuanet.