Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi made a phone conversation with his US counterpart Hillary Clinton on Sunday, expressing concerns over Chinese nationals killed and injured in Friday's Binghamton shooting rampage.

According to preliminary investigation results, four Chinese women were among the people killed in the shooting and another Chinese national was injured.

"This was a very serious incident and the Chinese government is deeply concerned about it," Yang said.

"We grieve over the death of the Chinese nationals and other victims, and our condolences go to the injured people as well as the victims' families," he said.

China hopes the United States will properly handle the matters concerning the Chinese victims, offer immediate medical treatment to the injured Chinese, and provide the victims' families with timely and sufficient assistance as well as convenience to get visas to America, Yang said.

The Chinese Embassy and the Consulate-General in New York are both making urgent contacts with the US side over the issue, he added.

Yang also urged the US to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese nationals and their properties in the United States.

Clinton, for her part, extended condolences to the Chinese victims and their families.

She said the shooting was a tragedy and investigations have been underway into the cause.

The United States will be serious with China's requests, she said, pledging all efforts to offer medical treatment to the injured Chinese and to provide the victims' families with timely and comprehensive assistance to get visas to her country.

A total of 14 people of eight different countries of origin, among them 4 Chinese nationals, were killed in Friday's deadly shooting rampage in downtown Binghamton, the U.S. state of New York, local authorities said on Sunday.

According to a victims' namelist released, the 14 came from Pakistan, the Philippines, Haiti, China, Vietnam, the United States, Brazil and Iraq, respectively.

The four Chinese nationals were identified as Li Guo, 47, Hong Xiu Mao, 35, Hai Hong Zhong, 54, and Jiang Ling, 22.

Binghamton Mayor Matthew Ryan described the shooting as "a tragedy that affects many different people from many different countries and their families and friends."

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2009)