Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Kong Quan briefed the journalists on the latest efforts of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Iraq to rescue the Chinese citizens held hostages in Iraq as of 18:30, January 21, 2005.

He said that according to the Chinese ambassador Yang Honglin to Iraq, the Chinese embassy is continuing with the rescue efforts in all facets and through multiple channels. Vice Director Li Huaxin of the Department of West Asian and North African Affairs of the Foreign Ministry accepted the interview of the Qatar Al Jazeera TV station on the afternoon of January 21, calling for the release of the Chinese hostages as soon as possible in the spirit of humanitarianism and proceeding from the Islam tolerance and the friendly feeling of the Chinese people towards the Iraqi people. The Chinese Islamic Association also issued a statement, calling for the release of the Chinese hostages.

Kong Quan also introduced that the government officials of Fujian province visited the families of the hostages on January 21, 2005 and conveyed the care of President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other Chinese leaders, the Foreign Ministry and the Fujian provincial government to them.