BEIJING: China’s Foreign Ministry will work with Pakistani authorities to investigate reports the two Chinese nationals abducted by the Islamic militants in Quetta were missionaries.
China attached great importance on protecting the safety and legal rights of Chinese nationals overseas, but they must adhere to local laws and regulations, and respect local traditions and custom, a statement of Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Tuesday.
“As for reports that the relevant Chinese nationals were suspected of illegal missionary work in Pakistan, we will cooperate with the Pakistan government and launch and investigation in accordance with the law,” Lu said.
The pair — identified as 24-year-old Lee Zing Yang and 26-year-old Meng Li Si — was kidnapped by armed men pretending to be policemen on May 24 in Quetta. Last week, the group Amaq news agency declare its members had killed them.
The kidnapping was an unusual crime against Chinese nationals in Pakistan, which has raise concern in the Chinese community in the country.
The two were preachers who had abused the visa system by posing as business people to enter the country, the interior Ministry claimed on Monday.
“Instead of engaging in any business activity they went to Quetta and under the garb of learning Urdu language from a Korean national… were actually engaged in preaching,” the ministry said in a statement.
It did not say what kind of preachers they were, nor did it say if the Korean was from North Korea or South Korea.
In his statement, Lu reiterated that China opposed all forms of terrorism and commended the Pakistan government’s pledge to continue protecting Chinese people and businesses in the country.
