China angry over Manila hijacking

China on Tuesday demanded answers from the Philippines after a 12-hour hostage drama in the heart of Manila ended with eight Hong Kong tourists dead along with their Filipino hostage-taker after a day of botched negotiations.

China on Tuesday demanded answers from the Philippines after a 12-hour hostage drama in the heart of Manila ended with eight Hong Kong tourists dead along with their Filipino hostage-taker after a day of botched negotiations.

HT Image

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said his government was "appalled" and telephoned his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo to voice concern, while Hong Kong residents expressed outrage and media outlets in the Chinese territory denounced Philippine police as incompetent.

"The Chinese government demands the Philippines launch a thorough investigation into the incident and inform the Chinese side of related details as soon as possible," Yang said, according to a statement posted on his ministry's website.

Beijing warns India

Even as New Delhi hoped to end any controversy over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with the Dalai Lama on August 11, Beijing on Tuesday issued a sharp statement reminding India to be 'prudent' in matters related to Tibet.

"China hopes that the Indian side observes its commitments to Tibet related issues and prudently handles relevant issues so as to refrain from any disruption to the overall relationship between China and India,'' the foreign ministry spokesperson's office in Beijing said in a statement.