China has requested Russian authorities to "seriously investigate" the conflict between Russian police and Chinese workers that occurred last Wednesday and take measures to prevent such things from happening in the future, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Saturday in a press release.

　　Spokesman Kong Quan said the conflict occurred when Irkutsk police conducted inspections on Chinese workers. About 200 Chinese workers were involved in the incident. "Dozens were injured, and some were hospitalized," he said.

　　"The issue has aroused great concern from the Chinese government," Kong said.

　　The Chinese consulate general in Khabarovsk made immediate representations to Russia upon hearing of the incident. On Friday night, Huang Ping, deputy director of the Department of Consular Affairs with the Foreign Ministry, summoned Russian Embassy officials in Beijing.

　　Kong said China has asked Russia to conduct a "serious investigation" into the issue, punish the troublemakers and try to treat the injured Chinese.

　　The Chinese consulate general in Khabarovsk and local departments will send deputies to Irkutsk to handle remaining issues, sources with the Foreign Ministry said.

　　(Xinhua)