A chief of a Chinese company was kidnapped in Niger on Friday, a government spokesman said in a nationally televised address.

The chief was abducted in the region of Agadez, about 1,000 km from the capital of Niamey on Friday afternoon, the same region where Tuareg rebels earlier attacked an army base, the spokesman said.

The Chinese embassy to Niger confirmed the abduction.

Last month, Tuareg rebels attacked an army base, killing 13 soldiers and taking 77 hostages.

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2007)