Chinese President Xi Jinping condemns Islamic State,s killing of Chinese hostage

The jihadists’ English-language Dabiq magazine featured graphic photos of two bodies that appeared to be Chinese hostage Fan Jinghui and Norwegian Ole-Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad. The statement came in response to a report Wednesday in Islamic State’s Dabiq magazine, which showed pictures of two dead men from China and Norway under the banner “Executed”.

In a 2001 interview, Mr. Fan-whose death at the hands of the militant group was announced Thursday by the Chinese government-described himself as a drifter, someone who had spent time working alternately as a teacher and in advertising, and for a time at China’s national broadcaster as well.

After Fan was reportedly executed – along with Norwegian citizen Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad – President Xi Jinping “strongly condemned” ISIS. “The Chinese government strongly condemns this inhuman atrocity; we must bring these criminals to justice”, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement, according to AFP.

“China firmly opposes all kinds of terrorist ideology and will resolutely fight any criminal terrorist activity that challenges the baseline of humanity”, said Xi.

Terrorism is the common enemy of human beings, Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Chinese construction companies are involved in many major building projects overseas and are willing to go to many unstable places in the Middle East and Africa where other worldwide companies decline to go.

China has condemned the Islamic State (IS) group for killing a Chinese national, promising a crackdown on terrorism.

Amid reports that Chinese military forces are quietly closing in on Syria as part of a plan to support Russian efforts against ISIS, China has publicly sworn to avenge ISIS’ execution of a Chinese citizen.

Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu said Ankara “has plans” for a joint operation with the United States to root out Daesh’s presence along its border with Syria.

“And so revenge was exacted upon those who felt safe in the cockpits”, it added.

China has repeatedly denounced Islamist militants and urged the world to step up coordination in combating Islamic State, though it has been reluctant to get involved on the ground in Syria and Iraq where the group largely operates.

Experts said that while the killings might further spur Beijing to help seek a global solution to the Syrian civil war that is helping ISIS thrive, it is unlikely to join the worldwide coalition in launching air strikes against the group.