BEIJING - Power Construction Corp of China, employer of the Chinese nationals captured by rebels in Sudan, said Sunday that it had launched an emergency response to rescue the missing workers.

Wang Zhiping, a senior executive of the company, told Xinhua that the company had set up an emergency work group at its headquarters in order to closely monitor the latest development of the case.

Wang said the company had been in touch with the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Embassy to Sudan, and Sudan's government about rescuing the missing workers.

The company had also ordered its overseas branches to upgrade security to prevent similar cases from happening, Wang said.

A department of the company responsible for a road-building project in Sudan was attacked by rebels and more than 20 Chinese nationals were missing, said Wang.