Twenty people were killed today when a fire broke out on a foreign-flagged cargo ship undergoing repairs in the eastern port city of Qingdao.

The state broadcaster CCTV reported that the blaze started at around 11.15 am at the state-owned Qingdao Beihai shipyard.

President Xi Jinping has ordered authorities to step up search and rescue efforts. He also called for a swift investigation into the cause of the fire.

A photo released by state news agency Xinhua suggests that the ship is the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Melody.

Qingdao Beihai is a major shipyard managed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation.