China on Friday expressed hope that Iraq could resume stability as soon as possible after al-Zarqawi's death.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman's office said this in a statement in response to a question concerning the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in Iraq.

"We have noticed relevant reports about the development and hope the security situation in Iraq would resume stability as soon as possible so that the reconstruction process could move on," said the statement.

Al-Zarqawi was reportedly killed on Wednesday night by a US air strike in an area northeast of Baghdad.

With a US$25 million bounty on his head, Zarqawi was reported to be the top leader of the al-Qaida terror group in Iraq, and behind some of the most gruesome kidnappings and killings in Iraq.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2006)