BEIJING, May 15 -- China on Thursday voiced shock and grave concern over the recent violence against its businesses and nationals in Vietnam and demanded severe punishment of the perpetrators.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily press briefing that staff of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam are on their way to the scene to learn the situation.

Officials from the Foreign Ministry also had an urgent meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to China, making solemn representation and demanding Vietnam take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the safety of the lives and property of Chinese nationals, businesses and institutions there, Hua said.

"The Vietnamese side bears unshirkable responsibility for the violence against companies and nationals of China and other countries," Hua said.

She urged the Vietnamese government to earnestly assume responsibility, make thorough investigation and severely punish the perpetrators.

"We notice that some companies owned by Singapore, the Republic of Korea and China's Taiwan and Hong Kong also suffered from threats and damages to different extent. That shows the seriousness of the current situation," Hua said.

She said the Vietnamese government must take all necessary and effective measure to ensure the safety of foreign companies and nationals in Vietnam, and to provide a normal environment for the operation of foreign companies.

The anti-China violence in Vietnam came in the wake of rising tensions between the two countries over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

A Chinese national was killed and over 100 others injured in the violence.