VIENTIANE - Six Chinese nationals were wounded in an attack on a cross-border passenger bus in northern Laos on Wednesday night, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday (March 24), citing the Chinese embassy.

All the victims were drivers and passengers on the bus, which was travelling from Kunming in China's southwestern Yunnan province to Vientiane, Chinese embassy officials told Xinhua early Thursday.

The bus, which was carrying 25 passengers and three drivers, was shot by unidentified gunmen at around 9pm local time (10pm Singapore time) on a road in Kasi, Vientiane province.

The driver was wounded but managed to drive the vehicle to safety, Xinhua said.

All the injured Chinese men were sent to a local hospital for treatment, it said.

The shooting is the latest violence involving Chinese nationals in Laos this year.

On March 1, a Chinese national was killed and three others wounded in an attack on a Chinese-invested company by unidentified gunmen in Luang Prabang province.

On Jan 24, two Chinese were killed and another one wounded in a bomb attack on a bus in Xaysomboun province.