China has been going in for various substantial efforts to rescue the two engineers, who were kidnapped in Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhang Qiyue told a regular press conference Tuesday.

The Chinese leaders and government are very concerned about the kidnapping, Zhang said. The Foreign Ministry has lodged a presentation with the Pakistan side, urging them to act immediately to rescue the hostages and trying all means to secure their safety.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing already telephoned his Pakistani counterpart, requiring them to take all necessary measures to beef up the protection of other Chinese expatriates there, Zhang added.

China has started an emergency scheme and would keep in touch with the Pakistan 24 hours a day.

Zhang acknowledged that the Pakistan side too attached great importance to the crisis and responded to China's requests.

Pakistani leaders and relevant departments referred to the two engineers as "good brothers of the Pakistan people" and also hoped to resolve the crisis as early as possible, Zhang noted.

Gunmen kidnapped the two engineers, Wang Ende and Wang Peng, Saturday near Jandala in Pakistan's South Waziristan Tribal Agency bordering Afghanistan. The engineers had been working on a water dam and a canal in the region for the China National Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Group Corporation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2004)