China's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday that two Chinese nationals died and nearly 100 were injured in riots in Vietnam earlier this week.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing, "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed condemnation in an urgent phone call with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on Thursday evening."

According to Hua, a working group led by Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao has arrived in Vietnam.

"We will continue to strengthen representations with the Vietnam side via different channels and demand that it harshly punishes the perpetrators, immediately prevents violent actions and makes sure that similar acts do not recur," Hua said.