Jiang blasted the Nato air strike which left three dead, saying the ``US-led Nato should bear all the responsibilities arising'' from the incident.

He said the air strikes on Yugoslavia were an example of the US's ``absolute gunboat policy'' which should ``arouse the vigilance of statesmen all over the world'', Chinese official media reported.

Jiang made the call around noon local time (1400GMT).

Yeltsin expressed his ``utmost indignation'' at the embassy bombing and reiterated his ``strongest condemnation'' of the attack, telling Jiang that ``the stance of Russia is totally the same as that of China on this issue,'' the Xinhua news agency said.

Jiang suggested that China and Russia ``maintain close consultation and further coordination,'' Xinhua said.

Moscow lashed out at Nato onSaturday with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov cancelling a trip to Britain at the last minute on Yeltsin's orders. Yeltsin again called on Nato to end the bombing campaign against Yugoslavia and said the attack on the Chinese embassy had been ``a gross violation of international law''.

The bombing, which Nato says was accidental and based on out-dated intelligence information, killed three Chinese nationals and hurt 20. The attack enraged Chinese across the country, with tens of thousands of students and workers hitting the streets. The largest demonstrations were seen in Beijing, where the US embassy -- as well as the residences of the US and British ambassadors -- came under seige from enraged protesters.

Kremlin emissary Viktor Chernomyrdin was ordered to Beijing following Monday's telephone conversation to consult with Chinese leaders on the Kosovo crisis.

Chernomyrdin, who Left Moscow's Vnu-kovo airport, was expected to brief Chinese leaders tomorrow on a framework accord thrashed out lastweek by foreign ministers from Russia and the Group of Seven leading industrial nations.