BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday appealed to Malaysian police to rescue a Chinese national abducted on Wednesday night by unknown gunmen in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily press briefing that the ministry and the consulate-general in Kuching were extremely concerned by the abduction and had immediately sent staff to the site.

China urged local police to conduct a rescue operation, ensure the abductee's safety, and take measures to protect other Chinese tourists, said Hong. Malaysia confirmed Thursday that a Chinese tourist and a Filipino resort worker were abducted by a group of unknown gunmen from Pulau Singahmata near Pulau Bum-Bum in Semporna, state of Sabah of Malaysia at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.