BEIJING - The Chinese embassy in Italy has called on the Italian government to speed up its investigation into a botched robbery in which two Chinese people were killed and one was injured in Rome last week.

Chen Guoyou, counselor of the embassy, said it was a "vicious criminal case", according to a statement on the embassy's website.

He also urged Chinese people in Italy to improve their security awareness and take more steps to protect themselves.

Zhou Zheng and his 9-month-old daughter were shot dead and his wife was wounded on Jan 4 in the eastern outskirts of Rome.

The embassy said the case has sparked widespread concern both in China and Italy.

Zhou was with his wife and daughter when two youths approached them on a scooter and demanded money.

All three were shot when Zhou and his wife refused, la Repubblica newspaper said citing eyewitness reports.

Zhou died instantly from a bullet to the chest while his young daughter, who was in his arms at the time, was shot in the head and died on the way to hospital, according to the Corriere della Sera daily's website.

The woman was being treated for a gunshot wound to the arm at a local hospital.

Police have launched an investigation into the attack, one of a growing number of shootings in the Italian capital over the past few months.

In response to the tragedy, Gianni Alemanno, mayor of Rome, said on Jan 5 that the city is suffering from a "criminal emergency".

"There are too many drugs and firearms circulating in the city districts most at risk," Alemanno said. "For months I have spoken out about this criminal emergency, but the measures taken until now have clearly been inadequate".

Sun Kai, a customer service officer at BTG International Travel and Tours in Beijing, said: "We have delayed the departure time of travel groups for Italy in February with regard to security concerns."

Li Bo, a 27-year-old from Beijing who will travel to Italy next year, said: "I learnt from this tragedy that it is not safe to carry too much cash abroad".

China Daily