China on Wednesday called for a thorough investigation into the mass murder of civilians in the Houla region of west Syria.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin made the remark at a press conference when asked whether China will expel Syrian diplomats working in the country.

Liu said China wishes to see a thorough probe into the Houla massacre and hopes the killers will be brought to justice.

Liu said China hopes UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's visit to Syria will help ease tensions in the country and encourage relevant parties to implement Annan's six-point proposal, as well as resolutions by the UN Security Council, to bring a halt to the violence.

Last Friday night's attacks in two villages in the Houla region of Syria resulted in the deaths of 108 civilians.

Several western countries, including Canada, the United States, Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, have decided to expel Syrian diplomats as part of a coordinated move to express outrage at the killings in Houla.