Six Chinese Nationals are among the people injured following a bus shooting in Northern Laos on March 16, according to the Chinese state media.

This is the most recent incidence of violence to affect Chinese nationals living in Laos as Beijing expands its economic influence across Southeast Asia.

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The six Chinese victims in the bus shooting include the passengers and driver of the bus. The bus route was traveling from Kungming, the capital of China's Yunnan province to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

The bus, which was carrying 25 passengers, was gunned down by unidentified gunmen as it passed by a road in Kasi, a Vientiane province. The six injured Chinese nationals were immediately sent to a health care facility for treatment.

Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry of China, said that China has maintained communication with Laos.

Hua added that China has dispatched a representation to Laos and have demanded that a thorough investigation is conducted into the incident. She called for the assailants to be punished once they are identified.

The recent shooting is not the first time that Chinese nationals have been caught in violence in Laos.

In January, two Chinese nationals were killed and one sustained a wound injury in a bomb attack on the bus travelling to Xaysomboun province in Laos.

On March 1, a Chinese national was killed and three sustained injuries after being attacked by unknown militants in the Northern Luang Prabang province of Laos.

China and Laos have maintained diplomatic relations, focusing mostly on trade and aid.

China's Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that Beijing will offer an amount of $11.5 billion in loans and credit to five countries in Southeast Asia. Lao is included in the five countries, and will utilize the loan mainly for infrastructure and other projects.

Tagssix chinese nationals, wounded, laos shooting