BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has always demanded its overseas enterprises to abide by the laws and regulations of the countries of residence, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here Thursday.

    The overseas Chinese enterprises attach importance to guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of local workers in accordance with the international labor standards, Qin said.

    The spokesman made such remarks in response to a report that the Chinese enterprises violated the local labor laws in Papua New Guinea.

    "We gave priority to this report and conducted serious investigation into this case, but facts showed that this report does not hold water," he said.

    China will make further efforts in this regard so as to ensure that relevant projects can serve the purposes of promoting economic and social development and facilitating bilateral cooperation, Qin said.

    Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan is paying official visits to four Oceanian nations, including Papua New Guinea.

    Qin said this visit is aimed at promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and Papua New Guinea in various fields.