A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament Photo: AFP

China has taken reciprocal countermeasures regarding the UK Parliament's banning of Chinese ambassador from attending events in the Parliament last week, a source close to the matter told the Global Times exclusively on Friday.

The source said on the condition of anonymity that it is no surprise that China has taken reciprocal countermeasures as China today

is not the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and "no one should expect that China will swallow a bitter fruit against national dignity."

The Britain's wrongful actions will only harm its own image, undermine China-UK friendly exchanges and the common interests of the people of the two countries, the source said.

Previously, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress both said that China would take necessary corresponding measures.

Speakers of the UK House of Commons and the House of Lords made the decision to ban Zheng Zeguang, China's ambassador to the UK, from attending a summer reception of the All Party Parliamentary China Group, which was scheduled on September 15.

The reason given was that the Chinese side had earlier announced sanctions against seven UK parliamentarians.

Chinese analysts called the UK's move rare and hysterical since Beijing and London established ties, and said it reflected the UK's condescending attitude toward China, which is "I can slap whatever sanction on you, but you cannot slap me back."

The UK should shake off its obsession about reviving its old glory and adjust its mindset to a rising China. Bungling bilateral relations with Beijing will only be an act of shooting itself in the foot, analysts said.