SOURCE: CNA
SYDNEY: Australia and China told their citizens not to travel to Egypt Sunday, as Tokyo appealed for help for 500 Japanese stranded at Cairo airport and Asian nations voiced concern about the country's turmoil.
The Philippines is setting up shelters in case thousands of migrant workers needed to be evacuated, and the Hyundai-Kia car group was reported to have temporarily closed its African headquarters in Cairo.
The rising concern came as Egypt faced another day of angry revolt against Hosni Mubarak's regime Sunday, with more than 100 already dead in protests demanding the veteran president quit.
Australia called for calm and restraint, and the foreign office upgraded its travel warning from "reconsider your need to travel" to "do not travel".
It advised Australians against journeying to Egypt and counselled those currently in the troubled country to get out if possible.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said 870 Australians were registered as staying in Egypt but given its popularity as a tourist destination said the real number was "likely to be in the thousands".
She told anyone who could safely leave to strongly consider doing so, condemning violence on both sides.
"The Australian government certainly understands the desire of the people of Egypt for reform, for democracy, we understand that," the prime minister said.
"But we are monitoring the situation closely and calling on everybody to exercise calm and restraint, to make sure that the security forces are being restrained, and also to make sure that demonstrations are peaceful."
Australia's foreign office said the situation "remains unpredictable and may deteriorate quickly" and urged travellers to avoid demonstrations.
"The army is on the streets of the main towns and there are widespread reports of arson and looting. The civil police are not present to maintain law and order," Australia's foreign office said, adding that travellers should respect a curfew.
China's embassy in Cairo said on its website that the foreign ministry in Beijing had issued a "red" warning on Sunday, "requiring all Chinese citizens not to travel to Egypt".
It urged Chinese nationals in Egypt to be careful of their safety and not to not to go outside unless necessary, adding that 300 Chinese nationals had been stranded due to cancelled flights.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara expressed his concern at a meeting with Cairo's ambassador and called on Egypt's government and people to "establish a stable government through dialogue and solve the problem in a peaceful manner," the foreign ministry said.
The minister highlighted the plight of Japanese tourists whose flights home with flag carrier EgyptAir had been cancelled, asking the airline to restore services and lay on extra aircraft for those who were stranded.
The Philippines said it had set up four "relocation sites" for its citizens -- mostly migrant workers -- in case they seek to flee violence in Egypt.
Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said none of the estimated 6,500 Filipinos in Egypt was reported hurt.
"In case there is a real need to evacuate them, we have already prepared four relocation sites -- three in Cairo and one in Alexandria," Valte said over government radio.
"We are looking at what we can do, and our contingency measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of our citizens."
South Korea's Hyundai-Kia car group temporarily closed its African headquarters in Cairo, Yonhap news agency reported, adding that its employees had been moved to Dubai while their families would return home.
Seoul's foreign ministry suspended classes at a Korean school in Egypt attended by some 40 elementary students, and said the South Korean embassy was putting together an emergency plan to evacuate Korean nationals if needed.
Flag carrier Korean Air said it had rescheduled its flights to Egypt to avoid landing during curfew hours.
Warnings against travel to Egypt were also issued by Taiwan and Hong Kong, with Taipei's tourism bureau saying 410 Taiwanese tourists were currently touring Egypt.
Hong Kong issued a "black" alert, the territory's highest, saying residents were "urged to avoid all travel to the country".
The rising concern came as Egypt faced another day of angry revolt against Hosni Mubarak's regime Sunday, with more than 100 already dead in protests demanding the veteran president quit.
Australia called for calm and restraint, and the foreign office upgraded its travel warning from "reconsider your need to travel" to "do not travel".
It advised Australians against journeying to Egypt and counselled those currently in the troubled country to get out if possible.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said 870 Australians were registered as staying in Egypt but given its popularity as a tourist destination said the real number was "likely to be in the thousands".
She told anyone who could safely leave to strongly consider doing so, condemning violence on both sides.
"The Australian government certainly understands the desire of the people of Egypt for reform, for democracy, we understand that," the prime minister said.
"But we are monitoring the situation closely and calling on everybody to exercise calm and restraint, to make sure that the security forces are being restrained, and also to make sure that demonstrations are peaceful."
Australia's foreign office said the situation "remains unpredictable and may deteriorate quickly" and urged travellers to avoid demonstrations.
"The army is on the streets of the main towns and there are widespread reports of arson and looting. The civil police are not present to maintain law and order," Australia's foreign office said, adding that travellers should respect a curfew.
China's embassy in Cairo said on its website that the foreign ministry in Beijing had issued a "red" warning on Sunday, "requiring all Chinese citizens not to travel to Egypt".
It urged Chinese nationals in Egypt to be careful of their safety and not to not to go outside unless necessary, adding that 300 Chinese nationals had been stranded due to cancelled flights.
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara expressed his concern at a meeting with Cairo's ambassador and called on Egypt's government and people to "establish a stable government through dialogue and solve the problem in a peaceful manner," the foreign ministry said.
The minister highlighted the plight of Japanese tourists whose flights home with flag carrier EgyptAir had been cancelled, asking the airline to restore services and lay on extra aircraft for those who were stranded.
The Philippines said it had set up four "relocation sites" for its citizens -- mostly migrant workers -- in case they seek to flee violence in Egypt.
Presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said none of the estimated 6,500 Filipinos in Egypt was reported hurt.
"In case there is a real need to evacuate them, we have already prepared four relocation sites -- three in Cairo and one in Alexandria," Valte said over government radio.
"We are looking at what we can do, and our contingency measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of our citizens."
South Korea's Hyundai-Kia car group temporarily closed its African headquarters in Cairo, Yonhap news agency reported, adding that its employees had been moved to Dubai while their families would return home.
Seoul's foreign ministry suspended classes at a Korean school in Egypt attended by some 40 elementary students, and said the South Korean embassy was putting together an emergency plan to evacuate Korean nationals if needed.
Flag carrier Korean Air said it had rescheduled its flights to Egypt to avoid landing during curfew hours.
Warnings against travel to Egypt were also issued by Taiwan and Hong Kong, with Taipei's tourism bureau saying 410 Taiwanese tourists were currently touring Egypt.
Hong Kong issued a "black" alert, the territory's highest, saying residents were "urged to avoid all travel to the country".
