Police have launched a manhunt for two convicts who escaped from a prison near Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, local officials said yesterday.

The prisoners escaped from the Liming Prison, situated on the outskirts of the city, on Tuesday morning, police said.

However, it is still unclear how they managed to escape, as prison authorities declined to speak to the media yesterday, saying they were "not in a position to answer any questions".