Two Chinese workers have been abducted by anti-Sudanese government militants in western Sudan, Fong Fude, chargé d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum, confirmed on Tuesday.   

The rebels abducted the two Chinese workers on Saturday while the latter were drilling water wells about 80 km from the western Sudan's Buram City, Fong said.

The office of the North China Construction Company, the abductees' employer, contacted the Chinese Embassy on Sunday and reported the kidnapping, he added.

The embassy staff immediately held an emergency meeting to discuss the necessary measures to rescue the two workers, Fong said, adding that he had called the Sudanese Foreign Ministry and other institutions several times, asking them to help solve the problem. 

The Sudanese government has expressed deep regret for the incident and vowed to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and immediate release of the two workers, Fong said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2004)