China expected and believed the Philippine authorities would continue to properly handle matters concerning the hostage tragedy earlier this year, said Chinese Foreign Spokeswoman Jiang Yu Tuesday.

Jiang made these remarks at a regular Tuesday press briefing when asked to comment on a latest official source stating that the Philippine side would come to China to explain its investigation report on the hostage incident which happened in late August.

Jiang said the Philippine tourism secretary would visit Hong Kong.

"The Chinese central government has always been deeply concerned about the handling of the hostage incident and maintained contact with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Philippine side," she added.

On Aug.23, a sacked Philippine police officer hijacked a bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists in Manila. The 11-hour long hostage ordeal ended with eight tourists dead and seven others injured.