China on Friday lodged a protest against a Japanese right-wing vehicle ramming of its consulate in Osaka, Japan.

"This is a serious incident that jeopardizes the safety of China's diplomatic facilities and personnel in Japan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing.

On early Friday morning, a large vehicle belonging to a Japanese right-wing group stormed the front gate of the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka, and badly damaged the gate.

"The Chinese side strongly condemns the unscrupulous activities of the Japanese right-wing group, and is deeply unsatisfied with the Japanese police's failure to prevent the right-wing's wild act."

Kong said China has lodged solemn representations to the Japanese side, demanding it promptly find out the truth of the incident, punish the wrongdoer, compensate for China's losses, and prevent recurrence of similar incidents.

According to news reports, the Japanese police have arrested the perpetrator, and Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukudahas apologized to the Chinese ambassador for the incident, added Kong.

In another development, Kong confirmed that some overseas Chinese were killed and injured in a major train collision Thursday in Ryongchon in the North Pyong'an Province of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kong said in response to a reporter's question that the Chinese side didn't have many details on the situation yet, but preliminary investigation proved that some overseas Chinese died and were injured in the train collision.

Kong vowed China would further verify the related situation.

Earlier on Friday, the Yonhap News Agency reported that officials of the Republic of Korea said a large explosion occurred near a train station in the northwest of the DPRK on Thursday afternoon, killing or injuring up to 3,000 people.

Kong also said that China's first team of peacekeepers to Kosovo, composed of 12 policemen, will set off on April 26.

In response to question on China peacekeeping activities in Kosovo, Kong said the team will join the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).

Kong said China has insisted on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity in Serbia and Montenegro, implementing the UNSC Resolution 1244, securing equal rights of all ethnic groups and supporting the United Nations' peacekeeping efforts.

China is willing to join hands with international community to make its due efforts for handling properly the Kosovo issue, Kong added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2004)