BEIJING - The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Wednesday night that it was arranging emergency logistics backup bound for Libya to help Chinese citizens stranded by the unrest in the country.

The emergency relief materials that cover necessities and medical services include 10 tons of food, 4.5 tons of drinking water, 2,000 flashlights and commonly used medicines.

The supplies will be flown by Air China's second chartered plane to Libya at around 2:00 am on Thursday morning, a MOC spokesman said.

China's first chartered plane sent to evacuate Chinese citizens from Libya left Beijing at about 5:15 pm on Wednesday with food, medicine and other necessities on board.

Since the start of the unrest in Libya on February 16, there have been reports of violent attacks, vandalism, looting and arson. Chinese firms were also attacked and a number of Chinese citizens have been injured, according to China's Foreign Ministry.

Aside from chartered planes, four ocean liners, which were hired by Chinese embassies in Greece and Malta, were on their way to waters near Libya. The Chinese Embassy in Egypt also hired about 100 buses to evacuate Chinese nationals from the country, the foreign ministry said.

The majority of Chinese nationals in Libya are employees of Chinese companies with operations in the country.

Early on Wednesday, 83 Chinese nationals, who work as business staff and construction laborers for the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), were evacuated from Libya to Egypt.