China has urged the Philippines to secure the safe release of a group of Hong Kong tourists who were taken hostage by a former policeman in Manila early Monday.
"The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy in the Philippines have requested the Philippines to secure the release of the hostages on condition that their lives are protected," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said, Xinhua reported.
A bus carrying 21 Hong Kong tourists and four Filipinos was hijacked in the Philippine capital Monday morning by a former Police Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.
Mendoza, who is demanding the authorities to be reinstated to the service, has released nine hostages and there are still 15 Chinese nationals and one Filipino in the bus.
The Chinese government had requested the Philippines strive for an early and safe rescue, Jiang said when asked to comment.
The Chinese embassy in Manila had kept close contact with related departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and has sent staff to the scene, Jiang said.