BEIJING, June 17  -- China on Tuesday condemned the terrorist attack in Kenya's eastern town of Mpeketoni that killed at least 48 people and wounded many more on Monday.

"China resolutely opposes any form of terrorism," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a routine press briefing.

About 50 heavily armed gunmen with explosives struck the Mpeketoni trading center, a farming community in Lamu County on Sunday night. A policeman was among those confirmed to have been killed.

The radical Islamist group of Al-Shabaab on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack.

"China conveys profound condolences to the deceased and sincere sympathy to their families and the injured," Hua said.

The country will continue to support Kenya in safeguarding national security and regional stability, she added.

Kenya has contributed peacekeeping troops to the African Union (AU) Mission in Somalia.

Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab opposes foreign forces' presence in Somalia and has vowed vengeance against African states that contributed forces to the AU mission.

The Mpeketoni attack is the deadliest attack in Kenya since at least 67 people were killed during a siege at Nairobi's Westgate shopping center last September.