HONG KONG, Feb 18, 2001 -- (Reuters) Hong Kong's Catholic church has labeled as "alarming" chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's recent comments calling the Falun Gong movement an [Chinese government's slanderous word], the Sunday Morning Post reported.

"If Falun Gong is accused of causing disorder in Hong Kong society just because of peaceful protests, then such a label can easily be applied tomorrow to the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, to the diocese and to many Christian bodies," it quoted Bishop Joseph Zen as saying.

"The fact that Tung Chee-hwa has branded Falun Gong an '[Chinese government's slanderous word]' is very alarming not only for Falun Gong, but for all of us," he said in the report.

The bishop is deputy to Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng-chung, said the report.

Stephen Lam, information coordinator for Tung, was quoted in the report as saying the Hong Kong leader had been misunderstood.

"He said 'more or less a cult', not 'evil cult'. It is difficult with English and Chinese translations," Lam said.

Tung had been referring to the self-immolation of five Falung Gong members at Tiananmen Square in Beijing with his remarks, he added. [Editor's note: the self-immolation has nothing to do with Falun Gong practitioners]

"Mainstream religions do not condone or promote suicide and self-destruction," said Lam. "We were just referring to Tiananmen Square." [Editor's note: Falun Gong's teachings forbid any form of killing, including suicide]

China's leadership banned Falun Gong as an "[Chinese government's slanderous word]" in 1999 and has launched a major campaign to denigrate it across the country.

Falun Gong, which is based on elements of Taoism, Buddhism, and traditional Chinese meditation and exercises, has denied China's accusations saying it is a non-political movement aimed only at improving people.

Earlier this month, Tung told legislators that Hong Kong authorities would closely watch the movement and prevent the group from exploiting Hong Kong's freedom and upsetting Beijing's communist leadership.

Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong, which was granted a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two system" formula worked out between China and Britain.