China has expressed “grave concern” over reports that ISIS has killed two Chinese teachers kidnapped in Pakistan.
“China resolutely opposes all forms of kidnapping of civilians and opposes all forms of terrorism and extreme acts of violence, ” said Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Friday.
The deaths underscore the risks of China’s growing international reach and influence. The Global Times, a state-run tabloid, said that guarding Chinese nationals overseas had become a new and serious challenge for national security.
“As China’s international influence is growing, terrorist organizations target Chinese for ransom or just to create a sensation. Cases of Chinese being kidnapped have increased, ” the paper said in an editorial.
INTERACTIVE: China’s new world order
Chinese nationals have settled in Pakistan in greater numbers since the announcement of a $46 billion investment plan known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2015 — part of China’s One Belt One Road initiative.
“Given Pakistan’s complex security situation, both sides need to study and formulate a more comprehensive security plan to fully cover Chinese in Pakistan, ” the Global Times added.
