Four Chinese children were rescued in Vietnam after being trafficked across the border.

Nguyen Thi Huong, 40, of northern Quang Ninh province, was traveling with the three boys and a girl, aged 9 to 11, on a bus when it was stopped by police on Wednesday in Ho Chi Minh City, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper said.

The newspaper quoted Huong as telling police she was paid 4 million dong (US$250; euro 205) to take the children to a person in Ho Chi Minh City.

The woman and the four Chinese children took the bus from northern province of Hai Duong on Tuesday, it said.

Police are still investigating the case and declined to give details.

The newspaper said the four children were from China's eastern Zhejiang Province. It was unclear how they crossed the border into Vietnam.

Officials from Chinese consulate did not immediately comment on the case.

(China Daily September 23, 2004)