HANOI, May 15 -- At least two Chinese nationals have been killed and over 100 Chinese hospitalized after rioters attacked Chinese companies in Vietnam, sources told Xinhua on Thursday.

An unidentified Chinese national was found dead in a Taiwanese- invested factory of Foming Bicycle Parts in southern Vietnam's Binh Duong Province, some 1,120 south of Vietnam's capital Hanoi. Local police has dealt with the case and diplomats from the Chinese embassy will be arriving there.

Another Chinese national was killed in Ha Tinh Province, some 300 km south of Hanoi, where a bloody mob attack on Chinese nationals and companies occurred.

"As we counted, the hospital has received 75 Chinese nationals, while the hospital says 101 are admitted," said a high-ranking official with China 19th Metallurgical Corporation (MCC19) which was the worst hit among the Chinese companies there on Wednesday. "There are dozens of Chinese sent to another provincial hospital."

The official requesting anonymity for fear of retaliation is also hospitalized. "I found the Chinese dead before reaching hospital, but his identity is still unknown," he said, adding the MCC19 office and dormitory buildings were burned down on Wednesday.

"Now, the security forces are guarding the hospital, so it is fairly safe now," he told Xinhua, "The owner of the house we rent, and some local Vietnamese people and organizations have come to the hospital to console the wounded Chinese with some fruits, etc. "

Moreover, around 10 Chinese remained unaccounted for on Thursday after violent rioters attacked Chinese companies in Vietnam's central Ha Tinh Province, sources said.

"The protests were held throughout Wednesday. The rioters attacked four Chinese companies constructing an iron and steel complex invested by China's Taiwan," a Chinese manager in Ha Tinh told Xinhua.

"So far, around 10 staff lost contact with us and at least 55 workers were wounded," an official with MCC19 said.

Nguyen Minh Hoan, vice chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Anh District in Ha Tinh Province, where the bloody attacks occurred, told Xinhua over phone that he had just attended a meeting on the violence.

But he refused to give figure of casualties, saying the Ha Tinh Province was expected to make an official announcement on Thursday afternoon.

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

From May 3 to 7, Vietnam dispatched 36 vessels to China's territorial waters, ramming Chinese vessels for 171 times to disrupt the normal drilling operation by a Chinese oil company.

China on May 9 urged Vietnam to respect China's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea and stop provocative actions.

However, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry on May 7 said that Vietnam "cannot accept China's illegal drilling rig HD-981" and "it is an infringement of Vietnam's sovereignty".

With distorted information published by Vietnam's state-run media, the largest ever anti-China demonstrations in the last ten years have been held throughout Vietnam since May 9, and the bloody attacks on Chinese nationals and companies have spread from southern Vietnam on Tuesday to central and northern Vietnam on Thursday.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Public Security to ensure security and absolute safety for lives and assets as well as normal operation of all companies, especially foreign invested firms.

According to the directive on Vietnamese government's website, the prime minister urges unanimous, active and firm measures to be implemented to prevent illegal activities and strictly handle those who had provoked riots.

The directive asked local people not to follow illegal actions, in order to ensure security and solidarity and contribute to economic development.