Manila urged to properly resolve HK hostage crisis

BEIJING - China on Monday urged the Philippines to take substantial measures to properly resolve the Manila hostage crisis which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead three years ago.

The Chinese government has been consistent and clear on the incident, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying in a press release issued Monday afternoon.

"We urge the Philippine government to pay high attention to the requirements and concerns of the family members of those victims, take substantial measures so as to properly resolve the issue at an early date," Hua said.

On August 23, 2010, a sacked Philippine police officer hijacked a bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists in Manila. The 11-hour hostage crisis ended in a bloody carnage, with eight Hong Kong tourists killed and the hostage taker shot in a bungled police rescue.

For three years, survivors and relatives of the victims have been demanding an apology from the Philippine government, an offer of compensations, punishment for the officials responsible for the bungled police operation and improvement to tourist safety, but the Philippine government never offered an apology or compensations.

Hua said the central government of China supports close contacts and communication between the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Philippine government.

China has expressed its stance on the issue to the Philippine side via diplomatic channel, she added.