Over 1,200 Chinese workers evacuated in Iraq

BEIJING: More than 1,200 employees of a Chinese company have been safely evacuated from the war-torn northern Iraqi city of Samarra and moved to Baghdad, the foreign ministry said today.

The workers are with the China Machinery Engineering Corporation ( CMEC) that is undertaking the construction of a power plant in Iraq's northern province of Salahudin.

They had been trapped in Samarra some 120 km to the north of Baghdad.

The workers received assistance from the Chinese Embassy and the Iraqi government and military in the process of evacuation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

China has over 10,000 workers in Iraq. Most of them are now in areas where the security situation is under control, according to Qin.

"In the process of evacuation, the Iraqi side has come up with great support and assistance, on which the Chinese side has been grateful," Qin said, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the Chinese Embassy in Iraq have maintained close contact with the Iraqi side to ensure the evacuation of Chinese people safely and orderly.

"We will continue to closely watch the development of situation in Iraq and promptly adopt corresponding measures to fully ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and enterprises in the country," Qin said.