(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-31 06:36

Two Chinese nationals were killed and four were injured in a face-off pitting striking Chinese workers against police in Equatorial Guinea, according to a message posted last Friday on the Foreign Ministry's website.

It said about 100 Chinese workers from a Dalian-based company staged the strike in violation of local laws.

The unrest has subsided, and the four injured are in stable condition, the ministry said.

The Beijing News quoted an embassy official as saying the strike was triggered by labor disputes.

The ambassador and councilors have left the capital city Malabo for the scene several days ago, the official said.

The embassy and the Foreign Ministry have solemnly demanded local authorities investigate the incident and appropriately handle the aftermath.

The Equatorial Guinean government expressed deep regret over the incident, adding it was willing to work with the Chinese side.

The Chinese ambassador is guiding the company in managing relevant concerns, while a working group dispatched by the Chinese side would soon arrive to help with the work, according to the ministry.

The day before the incident, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement, reminding overseas Chinese workers to comply with local laws.

It encouraged overseas workers dealing with conflicts to turn to relevant institutions, authorities or Chinese embassies for help. The ministry specifically advised them against taking illegal actions, including unlawful strikes and demonstrations, to "avoid inflaming conflicts and eventually harming workers' legal rights".

Labor conflicts involving overseas Chinese workers have become more frequent in recent years due to the increasing flow of Chinese nationals to foreign labor markets, it said.