Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered all-out efforts to ensure life and property safety of Chinese nationals in Libya in light of recent major changes of security situation in the country.

Hu and Wen asked relevant authorities to take timely and effective measures to achieve the aim.

The State Council, or Cabinet, has decided to set up an emergency headquarter, headed by Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang, to organize the evacuation of Chinese including people from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in Libya and ensure their safety.

The emergency headquarter decided at a meeting on Tuesday to immediately send chartered aircraft from Chinese airlines, ships of China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) and Chinese fishing boats which are working in the adjacent waters to carry living necessities and medical treatment materials to rush to the surrounding areas of Libya and be prepared to enter the country at any moment to evacuate Chinese nationals.

Zhang said at the meeting that relevant authorities should initiate emergency response plans instantly and "do their best" to ensure safety of Chinese nationals and property as well as China's national interests.

At a regular news briefing Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said China was very concerned about the current situation in Libya, and said "China hopes the country can restore social stability and political order as soon as possible."

The Chinese embassy in Egypt said on Tuesday that the embassy staff are ready to help Chinese nationals who are fleeing from the unrest-hit Libya.

Lu Jingchun, spokesman for the Chinese embassy, said two clerks of the embassy had arrived in Matruh, a port city in northwestern Egypt on Monday, to help staff of Chinese companies who are leaving Libya.

Another team of more than 10 people of the embassy will soon set off from Cairo to the port city, Lu said. A first batch of some 83 Chinese from Libya will arrive in Matruh but their arrival time is unclear

The Chinese nationals evacuated from Libya will be first arranged to stay temporarily in Matruh or other nearby areas and wait for further measures, he added.

China said Tuesday that it was very concerned about the current situation in Libya, vowing to protect its nationals and firms in the country. "China hopes the country can restore social stability and political order as soon as possible," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a regular news briefing.

Since the unrest erupted in Libya on Feb. 16, people have been attacked and there has been vandalism, looting and arson, said Ma, adding that Chinese firms had been attacked and Chinese nationals injured.

Ma said the Chinese Embassy in Libya had established contact with all Chinese firms in Libya and was working with relevant departments at home to safeguard national interests and protect the safety and property of Chinese nationals.

Latest reports said a construction site run by Huafeng Construction Co., Ltd. from China's Zhejiang Province was looted by a group of armed gangsters Sunday afternoon in the eastern city of Agedabia, and nearly 1,000 Chinese workers there were forced to leave their on-site living quarters and became homeless.