The Foreign Ministry is to establish a worldwide 24-hour hotline to better protect and serve Chinese citizens abroad, foreign minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

"No matter where our compatriots have gone, they can make contact with the motherland and hear voices from the motherland if they come across difficulties," Wang told a press conference at the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

According to Wang, Chinese travelers make almost 100 million overseas visits every year, and more than 20,000 Chinese enterprises are operated abroad.

The ministry annually handles tens of thousands of consular cases, ranging from helping citizens with relevant documents to major operations such as rescuing Chinese hostages or carrying out a large-scale evacuation for overseas Chinese nationals.

"It is our duty to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations abroad," said Wang. "Whenever our compatriots abroad need us, no matter how difficult and dangerous it is, Chinese diplomats will appear and we can provide help."