BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhuanet) -- China, Afghanistan and the United Nations condemned Thursday's terrorist attack that killed 11 Chinese construction workers and wounded four others in Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan.

    The attack took place at around 01:00 a.m. local time (2030 GMTWednesday) on a construction site 36 km south of Kunduz when some 20 gunmen opened fire at Chinese workers and security guards.

    This is the first major casualties China has encountered in Afghanistan in the past two years and also one of the worst terrorist attacks on foreigners since the former Taliban regime was ousted late in 2001.

    Remains of the 11 Chinese workers killed in the terrorist attack were planned to be transferred to Kabul by Afghan military helicopters on Thursday and the four injured would be transferred to the capital for further treatment.     

    CHINA VOWS NOT TO SURRENDER TO TERRORISM

    Chinese President Hu Jintao, who was in Poland for a state visit on Thursday, strongly condemned the terror attack against Chinese workers and urged the Afghan government and the UN missionin the country to investigate the incident, bring the terrorists to justice, and ensure safety and security of other Chinese citizens in Afghanistan.

    At a regular press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that China, while strongly condemning the terrorist activities, would not surrender to terrorism in any forms and would continue to participate in the reconstruction process of Afghanistan.

    China has been a target, as well as a victim, of terrorism for a long time, and that's why China supports the campaigns against terrorism in all forms, Liu noted, expressing the hope that the international community should continue effective strikes on terrorism.

    According to Liu, Chinese leaders have instructed the Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan and other relevant departments to put all their strength into rescuing the injured workers, properly deal with the incident and assist Afghanistan inensuring the safety of other Chinese people.

    China's ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya said Thursday that China is "proud of its anti-terror policy" and will stick to it despite the deadly attack against Chinese workers.

    "The Chinese government strongly condemns this terrorist attacks aimed at Chinese construction workers who are in Afghanistan, helping the Afghanistan people," he told reporters after a closed meeting by the UN Security Council.

    Meanwhile, Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Sun Yuxi told Afghan national television that the gruesome terror attack on Chinese workers would not affect rebuilding activities in the country.     

    AFGHANISTAN CALLS FOR MORE SECURITY AID

    The Afghan government condemned the brutal killing, describing it as a cowardly act of terrorism, a statement issued by the office of presidential spokesman said.

    Acting Afghan President Mohammed Qasim Fahim, who assumed the role while President Hamid Karzai was visiting the United States, said Thursday he was "deeply distressed" by the killing of Chinese workers and strongly condemned "this cruel act of terror."

    Blaming al-Qaeda for the attack, Fahim said that the terror network of the group and its supporters were behind the incident to disrupt the ongoing rebuilding process in the country. However,al-Qaeda denied the accusation.

    The acting president assured that the government would spare no efforts to identify the culprits and bring them to justice. The government has tasked a high ranking delegation to visit the site of the event and initiate a thorough investigation into the incident.

    Karzai, who is visiting the United States, promised that the attack on Chinese workers "can not and will not" be able to derailthe process for stability and more peace in Afghanistan.

    Calling the violence "the work of terrorists and others who didnot want Afghanistan to hold elections," he acknowledged that the elections, scheduled for September this year, would be hampered if security went out of control in the war-ravaged country.

    "We need more international security forces," he said, calling for a swift deployment of NATO troops around the country before the elections.     

    UN CONDEMNS ATTACK

    The UN Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Chinese construction workers in Afghanistan.

    Lauro Baja, ambassador of the Philippines and president of the council, said in a press statement that the council urged all states to cooperate actively in an effort to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of this attack.

    "Members of the council reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the statement said.

    It expressed the determination of the 15-member council to combat all forms of terrorism in accordance with the responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations.

    UN Special Representative to Afghanistan Jean Arnault was appalled by the killing of 11 Chinese construction workers condemned it in the strongest possible terms, Manoel de Almeida e Silva, spokesman of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told reporters in Kabul.

    The special representative noted with great sadness that this tragedy follows other serious incidents against electoral and humanitarian aid workers on May 5 in Nuristan and on June 2 and 6 in Badghis and Paktya in which eight Afghans and expatriates were killed, the spokesman added.

    Arnault also conveyed his condolences and expressed his sympathy to the Chinese Government and to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims.

    No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the latest bloody incident in Kunduz but the fugitive leaders of Taliban and their allies have vowed to disrupt any rebuilding activities run under US influence in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Enditem