China to assist relatives of stabbing victims in PNG

BEIJING - The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea will offer all-out assistance to the relatives of Chinese who were recently attacked in the country, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday.

Four Chinese were stabbed to death in a bakery on Monday in Papua New Guinea's capital of Port Moresby. The attack was confirmed by the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea.

Hua said at a regular press briefing that the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea has attached great importance to the incident and immediately launched an emergency mechanism to deal with the incident.

She said the Chinese ambassador to Papua New Guinea has called an emergency meeting with senior officials of Papua New Guinea, asked police in the country to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice as oon as possible and take measures to guarantee the safety and legitimate rights of Chinese citizens.

The embassy has sent consular officials to assist local police in their investigation, she added.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill Wednesday condemned the killing in a statement and called the attack "brutal and cowardly," adding that an investigation is under way.

He expressed deep condolences to the victims' families.

The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea will pay close attention to the case's progress and make all-out efforts to help the victims' relatives handle the aftermath, Hua said.