The Chinese government Monday strongly condemned the hostage-taking of Chinese tourists by a former police officer in Manila and demanded the Philippine government thoroughly investigate the incident.

A bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists aboard was hijacked in the Philippine capital of Manila Monday morning. After negotiations, six hostages were freed. On Monday night, Philippine police launched a rescue operation and a number of hostages were killed and injured.

In a press release, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had telephoned his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo on the hostage-taking incident.

During the conversation, Yang said the Chinese government had been highly concerned over the incident and had asked the Philippine government to spare no efforts in carrying out the rescue operation under the prerequisite of guaranteeing the safety of hostages.

Yang said that the Chinese government was shocked about the incident, deplored the slaying of Hong Kong tourists, and strongly condemned the brutality against innocent tourists.

The Chinese government demands the Philippine government launch a thorough investigation into the incident and inform the Chinese side of related details as soon as possible, he said.

The Chinese government also demands the Philippine government do all it can to save the injured hostages and properly handle the remaining problems of the incident, Yang said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2010)