China hopes religious groups in Egypt will maintain harmony and make joint efforts to safeguard social stability, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin said here on Monday.

Liu made the remarks during a regular press briefing in response to a question about China's opinion on the religious clashes in Egypt's capital city of Cairo.

Thousands of protesters blocked the main street in front of Egypt's state television building and threw stones and bottles at soldiers and police on Sunday evening.

Minor clashes between Muslims and Copts were reported in Cairo and some other places after the violence.

The clashes have left 19 dead and 183 injured.