Some 12,000 Chinese nationals have so far been evacuated from riot-torn Libya, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said early Friday morning.

Song told reporters about the latest figure at the Beijing International Airport shortly after welcoming back home more than 200 Chinese flying home by taking the first chartered plane sent by the Chinese government to evacuate its nationals in Libya, which arrived at the airport in the wee hours of Friday.

The second chartered plane, which arrived in Cairo of Egypt on Thursday, has also left for Beijing and is expected to arrive at Beijing airport at 9:00 a.m. Friday.