Two killed as Chinese workers riot in Eq. Guinea

MALABO, March 31 (Reuters) - Two Chinese were killed and four injured in Equatorial Guinea when striking Chinese construction workers clashed with security forces in a labour dispute that turned violent, Chinese authorities said on Monday.

A senior government official in Equatorial Guinea said the clash occurred last week during what he called a "riot" by some 200 Chinese contract labourers working at Mongomo on the continental mainland part of the West African oil producer.

"We don't want this kind of revolt in the country," the official told Reuters, asking not to be named. But he added he could not confirm the deaths, which were reported by the English-language China Daily in Beijing on Monday, citing a posting on the Chinese Foreign Ministry Website.

While details were sketchy, it was believed to be the first case of Chinese workers being killed in a labour dispute in Africa. Separatist Ogaden rebels killed nine Chinese in a raid on an oilfield in Ethiopia last year and Chinese employees have been taken hostage in other incidents in Nigeria and Niger.

In an economic offensive that has alarmed the West, Beijing is pumping billions of dollars into energy, mining and infrastructure projects on the world's poorest continent to secure oil and minerals for its fast growing economy.

At the same time, increasing disputes and protests at Chinese-run or financed projects in Africa have given ammunition to western critics who say Beijing is cutting corners on labour and human rights safeguards in its African investment drive.

China had asked Equatorial Guinea's government to investigate last week's incident, according to the posting on the Chinese Foreign Ministry Website.

"There was a riot of Chinese workers in Mongomo ... they confronted our military," the Equatorial Guinean official said.

He said the dispute turned violent when the strikers tried to stop other Chinese from carrying on working in Mongomo, where companies from China are constructing roads and buildings.