China has urged Myanmar to take effective measures to safeguard the lawful rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar, according to a statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The statement, posted on the Ministry's website Friday evening, said an official with the ministry, Wei Wei, recently lodged a representation with the Myanmar side, after military conflicts in northern Myanmar in August harmed the rights and interests of Chinese citizens living there.

Wei, head of the department of consular affairs of the Ministry, met on Sept. 21 with Kyi Kyi Sein, minister counsellor of the Myanmar Embassy in China, reiterating China's stance, according to the release.

Wei urged the Myanmar side to thoroughly investigate the case as soon as possible, severely punish the law-breakers, and inform China of the results. China also called on Myanmar to take concrete steps to avoid recurrence of similar incidents, said the statement.

The Foreign Ministry, as well as China's embassy and consulate in Myanmar, would pay close attention to the progress of the event, and safeguard the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens there, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2009)