NANNING - Authorities of Shanglin county in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have urged a halt to locals going to the Republic of Ghana for gold mining, following Wednesday's arrest of 124 Chinese miners in the African country.

A number of Shanglin natives were among those arrested on charges of illegal mining by Ghanaian authorities.

A statement from the Shanglin government quoted an unnamed spokesman as saying that the "gold rush" started in 2006, with estimations that around 12,000 Shanglin natives have engaged in gold mining in Ghana.

The local authorities have been assisting China's embassy in Ghana to ensure the legitimate rights and personal safety of the Shanglin natives detained by Ghanaian police, the spokesman said.

The government will maintain close contact with these detainees, cautioning them to strictly abide with Ghana's laws while seeking legal channels to settle the case.

The Shanglin government also said it will help miners from Shanglin to safely leave the sensitive area by offering them flight tickets and official certifications to return.