Around 250 of the 300 Chinese living and working in the Central African Republic have been evacuated since the unrest erupted in the country, Chinese embassy officials in the country said on Sunday.

"Around 250 Chinese nationals have flown back to China or to neighboring countries, and the rest of them - about 50 - will be leaving today or in the following days," said Wang Xudong, counselor of the Chinese embassy in the CAR capital Bangui on Sunday.

He added there were around 300 Chinese nationals currently living or working in Bangui, and most had lived there for decades, mainly working for Chinese companies.