Kong said this after being asked by a reporter for China's comments on the recent bombings which followed an attack on a bus carrying Israeli civilians.

Kong said the Chinese government has consistently opposed any terrorist act targeted at innocent civilians and China condemns the suicide bombings which occurred recently.

He added that in order to avoid further deterioration of the Middle East situation, China calls on both Israel and Palestine to actively cooperate with the international community in their peace promoting efforts and resume negotiations as soon as possible.

Chinese Killed in Tel Aviv Blasts

A worker from the Fujian Futong International Economic Cooperation Company has been confirmed dead in one of two suicide bombings in Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv on Wednesday night.

Four workers from the Chongfu Foreign Labour Cooperation Company in East China's Fujian Province were injured in the bombing. Another worker, Li Bin, is still missing, said Chinese Embassy officials in Israel.

The victim is believed to be Xu Hengyong, 38, a resident of Pingtan in Fujian Province who arrived in Tel Aviv in October, said Ni Jian, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Israel.

DNA tests are being done to confirm the identity because Xu has a brother there as well, Ni said.

One of the injured Chinese workers was treated and released from the hospital; the other three are still being treated, but two of them are expected to go home Friday, embassy officials said.

The attacks occurred in an area near the city's old bus station that is frequented by foreign workers. At least seven people were killed in all -- two of them suspected suicide bombers -- and at least 40 people were injured in the pair of explosions.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel released a statement Thursday strongly condemning the bombings targeting innocents and expressing deep sympathy for the deaths just three months after the bombing that killed two Chinese workers.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel is urging all Chinese people to take care in the war-torn region and to keep in regular contact with the embassy in case of an emergency.

Ni also said the Chinese side has talked with the Israeli National Insurance Institute about providing pensions for relatives of the Chinese victims.

In a statement, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) condemned the suicide bombings and reiterated its disapproval of any attacks that kill people, including Israelis, Palestinians and foreign workers, because such attacks threaten the national interests of Palestine.

The Israeli Government should take most of the responsibility for the explosions since the suicide attacks were triggered by Israeli troops who have wantonly encroached on Palestinian territory and people, the statement said.

Israel blamed the PNA for the recent pair of bombings, but the Palestinian radical group Islamic Jihad (Holy War) has claimed responsibility.

Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer has issued an order to freeze measures aimed at easing restrictions on Palestinian trade and industry.

(Edited by Shao Da from Xinhua News Agency and China Daily, July 19, 2002)