BEIJING (AFP) - Shark fin soup should be removed from the menu at Chinese official banquets to prevent damage to the country’s image during the Olympic Games next year, according to a lawmaker.

"Serving shark’s fin to foreign guests during the Olympic Games could greatly hurt China’s national image, and officials should start to remove the dish from the dining table right now", Xu Zhihong, a member of China’s national parliament told Xinhua news agency.