Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed on Wednesday that the explosion at a Chinese-owned plant on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island had killed 18 people, including eight Chinese citizens, and injured dozens.

"We are extremely saddened by the accident, especially the deaths and injuries caused by it," Mao said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. She added that all the injured have been sent to hospital for treatment.

According to media reports, the accident occurred on Sunday morning when a smelting furnace exploded at the plant in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, which is a nickel-focused industrial park owned by China's Tsingshan Group and its local partner Bintang Delapan Group.

Mao said that ever since the accident, the Chinese side has been in close contact and coordinating with the Indonesian side and making all-out efforts to treat the injured and deal with the aftermath.

"I would like to emphasize that China has always placed high importance on safe production in overseas Chinese-funded projects," she said, adding that China will work together with Indonesia to ensure the safety management of bilateral cooperative projects.