Algerian interior and local government minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni Monday strongly dismissed rumors of the kidnapping of three Chinese workers who are involved in the construction of a highway in the country.

"This information, which is potentially damaging to the reputation of our country, has no basis whatsoever," the minister said, adding that no Chinese national "had been kidnapped in Algiers or anywhere else in the country."

On Sunday, an Arabic language daily newspaper published information to the effect that three Chinese road construction workers had been kidnapped about 50 km east of Algiers. This information caused panic among Chinese national in Algeria as well as their relatives back home in China.

But after verification carried out by the CITIC-CRCC, the Chinese company involved in the matter, it was established that the information was baseless.

Source: Xinhua