The cargo ship "New Star" is seen near the Russian far eastern port of Nakhodka in this February 14, 2009 picture taken by Russia's border patrol. (Source: XHTV) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry official on Friday said that Russia's attitude on the sinking of a Chinese cargo ship in Russian waters is unacceptable.

    Zhang Xiyun, director-general of the Department of European-Central Asian Affairs of the ministry, lodged representations Friday afternoon to Russian Minister Counselor to China Morgulov Igor in regards to the incident.

    Zhang said that the attitude of the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed on Friday over the incident is "hard to understand and unacceptable" for China.

    A Sierra Leone-flagged vessel named "New Star" sank off the waters near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok on Sunday. Seven Chinese crew members were still missing.

    Russia on Friday announced that it wrapped up the search for missing crew members of the cargo vessel. According to Itar-Tass news agency reports, a motorboat was found Wednesday at Pyotr Veliky Bay, but no one was on it.

    Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Li Hui Thursday summoned Russian ambassador Sergei Razov, urging Russian authorities to complete investigations into the incident as soon as possible and try its best to search for the missing crew members.

    Li said China was shocked at and seriously concerned with the incident, expressing the country's strong dissatisfaction with Russian warship's firing at the civil cargo ship, Russia's insufficient rescue efforts to save drowning sailors and its failure to provide prompt investigation result to China although some details still need to be found out.

    The Chinese government attaches great importance to the incident, and requires Russia to make thorough investigations to find out the causes of the incident and give China a "responsible feedback" as soon as possible, Li said.

    China also requires Russia to properly settle rescued Chinese sailors and spare no efforts to help search for the missing crew members, he added.

    Razov Sergey expressed regrets over the serious casualty in the incident. He said that relevant departments of the Russian government are investigating into the incident, and will inform the Chinese side of the result in time. 

Chinese consul general urges Russia to probe sea accident

    NAKHODKA, Russia, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese diplomat urged Russia on Friday to conduct a serious probe into an accident at sea in which seven Chinese sailors went missing. Three of their compatriots were rescued alive. Full story

China lodges urgent representation again to Russia on cargo ship sinking

    BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday again lodged urgent representations to the Russian Minister Counsellor to China in regards to the sinking of a Chinese cargo ship in Russian waters.

    The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel named "New Star" sank off the waters near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok on Sunday. Seven Chinese crew members were still missing. Full story

China says Russia's investigation into sea accident still going on

    BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia is still continuing its rescue efforts and investigation into the sea accident involving a Chinese cargo ship, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu here Thursday.

    A Chinese cargo ship on Sunday sank off the waters near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok. Three Chinese crew members were rescued and seven others were missing, said Jiang. Full story

Chinese sailors rescued off Russian coast in good health, 7 still missing

    MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The three Chinese sailors rescued from a cargo ship that sank Sunday in the Sea of Japan near Russia's far-eastern port of Vladivostok are in good health, but seven other crew members remain missing, an official with the Chinese Consulate in Vladivostok told Xinhua Thursday.

    Chinese consulate officials in the city of Khabarovsk arrived at the port of Nakhodka to visit the rescued sailors shortly after the incident, said Wang Pengbo, a Chinese consulate official in Vladivostok.  Full story