Malaysian policemen patrol near the site of kidnapping in Sabah State, Malaysia on April 3, 2014. China on Thursday appealed to Malaysian police to rescue a Chinese national abducted on Wednesday night by unknown gunmen in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - China on Thursday appealed to Malaysian police to rescue a Chinese national abducted on Wednesday night by unknown gunmen in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily press briefing that the ministry and the consulate-general in Kuching were extremely concerned by the abduction and had immediately sent staff to the site.

China urged local police to conduct a rescue operation, ensure the abductee's safety, and take measures to protect other Chinese tourists, said Hong.?

Malaysia confirmed Thursday that a Chinese tourist and a Filipino resort worker were abducted by a group of unknown gunmen from Pulau Singahmata near Pulau Bum-Bum in Semporna, state of Sabah of Malaysia at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Gao Huayun，29-year-old, from Shanghai?was forced onto a waiting speedboat after she took a bath.

Shanghai tourism authorities started emergency procedures on Thursday following the the abduction.

A statement published at about 2 pm on Shanghai's microblog asks all travel agencies to warn outbound tourists of safety concerns.

Chinese tourists the Singamata Reef Resort in Sabah have left or plan to leave for home after a raid by gunmen who kidnapped a Chinese citizen.