Ethiopian Airlines crash: China suspends Boeing 737 Max 8 flights

"Given that two accidents both involved newly delivered Boeing 737 Max 8 planes and happened during take-off phase, they have some degree of similarity," the Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement as reported by BBC.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second incident in recent times where a 737 Max 8 flight was involved.

At least 189 people were killed in October when a Lion Air lost altitude soon after takeoff.

At least eight Chinese nationals have been killed in the Ethiopian Airlines fight crash tragedy.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement: "After learning the incident, the Foreign Ministry immediately instructed the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia to activate emergency mechanism and contact the Ethiopian government and Ethiopian Airlines to gather more information. It has been verified that there were eight Chinese citizens on board, including one from the Hong Kong SAR. We express our deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families."

"The Chinese side hopes that the Ethiopian side will locate the cause of the crash as soon as possible, keep us informed without any delay, and properly deal with the follow-up matters. The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia will continue to closely follow the development of the situation and do our best to assist the families of the Chinese victims," he said.