Demands were made by China on Sunday that Israel and Lebanon ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers as three of its soldiers in Lebanon were wounded when a mortar round landed near their headquarters in southern Lebanon.

   

"China is seriously concerned and strongly displeased with the incident," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said in a statement. He said China had made representations to the parties involved in the Lebanon-Israel clash and demanded they take concrete measures to ensure the safety of UN personnel. 

   

The incident occurred at 11:55 AM local time on Sunday sources with the Chinese UN peacekeepers said. The three wounded received hospital treatment. 

   

Qin said the Chinese government had sent best wishes to the wounded peacekeepers and asked those involved to continue to provide timely and necessary treatment.

   

Four UN observers including one Chinese national, Lieutenant Colonel Du Zhaoyu, were killed on July 25 in an Israel air raid on a UN post in southern Lebanon.

   

In his statement Qin also urged Israel and Lebanon to cease fire immediately and return to the negotiation table to solve the conflict. 

   

Earlier on Sunday, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, also called on parties concerned to cease fire immediately and settle their dispute through dialogue.

   

Li told UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a phone conversation that China is deeply concerned about the conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah which has lasted four weeks.

   

He said China hoped the UN Security Council took action to prevent the conflict from further escalating. Li added that China would continue to make efforts to help solve the conflict.

   

China has provided humanitarian aid to Lebanon and China's special envoy has also departed for the Middle East.

 

Some 180 Chinese military officers and engineers as well as three observers, including Lieutenant Colonel Du, were working in southern Lebanon, as part of the UN peacekeeping mission, according to diplomatic sources.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2006)