Beijing: China said on Friday that it was investigating an incident on the border with North Korea in which a resident on the Chinese side was shot and wounded.
The incident occurred last week. South Korean media reports said North Korean soldiers had fired at a Chinese vehicle.
"According to what is understood, in the early hours of September 18 there was a shooting on the China-North Korea border," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.
"A Chinese border resident was injured. At present China`s public security authorities are investigating," he added, without elaborating.
South Korean media said that two Chinese civilians were injured in the incident in Jilin province.
China is the isolated state`s most important remaining friend, though ties have been strained over the North`s banned nuclear programme. North Korea is under UN sanctions because of its nuclear tests and missile launches.
Border crime involving impoverished North Koreans has also been an irritant between North Korea and China.
In April, three Chinese villagers were reportedly killed by North Korean soldiers searching for food and money.
Last year, a North Korean murdered a Chinese family of three, prompting Beijing to file a formal complaint to Pyongyang, Chinese media reported in January.
