OTTAWA - Canada on Monday expressed alarm over violence in the ethnic Uighur enclave of Xinjiang in China, where scores of protesters were killed during weekend protests against the Beijing government.

"The government of Canada is alarmed at reports of violence and high numbers of casualties following yesterday's protests in Xinjiang," Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said in a statement.

"We urge restraint on all sides and call on the government of China to respect freedom of speech and information and the right to peaceful protest.

"Dialogue and goodwill are required to help resolve grievances and prevent further deterioration of the situation," Cannon said, adding that Canada?s embassy in Beijing is "monitoring the situation closely."

Chinese state media said Monday that at least 156 people were killed in the remote northwestern province when Muslim Uighurs rioted in some of the deadliest ethnic unrest to have hit the country in decades.

On Tuesday, state media said Chinese police have arrested 1,434 suspects over the riots.

The violence in the regional capital Urumqi on Sunday involved thousands of people and triggered an enormous security crackdown across Xinjiang, where tension has long simmered amid Uighur claims of repressive Chinese rule.