China stands firm on Qomolangma altitude

China's top surveying authority denied on Saturday that the country has changed its stand on the official height of Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest.

The National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation said China maintains the world's highest mountain measures 8,844.43 meters.

The statement came in response to a New York Times report on Feb 3 that quoted Ang Tshering Sherpa, former head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, as saying China had backed down on its height claim and decided to recognize the Nepali measurement of 8,848 meters.