Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (L) and Israeli President Moshe Katsav (R) attend a ceremony in Jerusalem July 25, 2006. [Reuters]

President Hu Jintao instructed officials to condemn the attack, said a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

He expressed "deep condolences" over the death of Chinese UN observer Lieutenant-Colonel Du Zhaoyu and expressed utmost sympathy to his family.

Hu "demanded the departments concerned properly handle the aftermath of the incident and take every measure necessary to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Lebanon," it said.

Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said earlier that China felt "deeply shocked" by and "strongly condemned" the Israeli air raid.

The country called for an immediate ceasefire. "China urges the concerned sides, especially Israel, to take tangible measures to ensure the security of UN peacekeepers," Liu said.

"China will work with the international community, increase diplomatic efforts and push the Middle East situation back to peace and stability at an early date," he added.

The air raid in southern Lebanon early yesterday killed four UN observers. The other three were from Finland, Austria and Canada, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sources confirmed.

Milos Struger, spokesman for UNIFIL, said that an Israeli bomb directly hit the base of the UN Observer Group in the town of Khiam near the eastern end of the border with Israel.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement that he was "shocked and deeply distressed" by the attack, saying it was "apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces."

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed "deep regret" over the killing of UN peacekeepers, but rejected Annan's charge.

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