Beijing, June 14: China Wednesday said it is intensifying efforts to establish the veracity of reports over the killing of two of its nationals by the ISIS in Pakistan and offered to cooperate in investigating their alleged illegal preaching activities in the Muslim nation.
“I should stress that on the possible killing of the two Chinese nationals, we express high concern. But so far, Pakistan has not confirmed the information to China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media briefing.
“We are intensifying the efforts to verify the relevant information,” he said. The Ministry’s response came after China’s official media Tuesday accused South Korean Christian groups and intelligence agencies of recruiting young Chinese and sending them for proselytising in Muslim countries.
China has yet not released details whether the two slain Chinese nationals were associated with South Korean church groups.
Chinese Foreign Ministry June 9 said Beijing was informed by Pakistan officials that a Chinese man and a woman identified as Lee Zingyang, 24, and Meng Lisi, 26, who were kidnapped last month from Quetta may have been killed. The video of their killing emerged on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif.
Subsequently, Pakistan Interior Ministry said the two Chinese nationals were involved in “preaching” in the country along with a Korean group.
Reports from Pakistan said the two were killed by Islamic State group after being abducted by gunmen dressed as policemen in Quetta in restive Balochistan province last month.
Press Trust of India
