国内英语新闻:China hopes "appropriate" handling of Singapore bus drivers case

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Monday expressed hope that Singapore will appropriately handle the case involving Chinese bus drivers.

Hong said at a regular press conference that the ministry and Chinese embassy in Singapore will continue to follow the situation and maintain communications.

Hong said Chinese consolate officials, based in Singapore, visited the arrested Chinese bus drivers on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, 29 Chinese people deported from Singapore returned to China safely.

The Chinese drivers are involved in a labor dispute with local public transport operator SMRT.

Due to grievances over pay and living conditions, 171 Chinese drivers simultaneously took medical leave early last week.

Under the efforts of the Singaporean Ministry of Manpower and the Chinese embassy, all the drivers returned to work last Wednesday.

Late last week, one of the Chinese drivers received a six-week jail term in Singapore, four were arrested by police and 29 were deported for not showing up for work.

"The Chinese Foreign Ministry places great importance on the case and will continue to closely watch the evolution of this incident and maintain communication with the Singaporean side," Hong said.