China says its citizens may have violated Pak laws
the area. The foreign ministry said it was verifying information about the incident.
“I think that the Indian journalist cited the South Korean diplomat’s words that the government has denied the involvement of South Korea in this incident. We also noted this. Some reports mention that these two Chinese nationals and other 11 Chinese citizens were taken advantage of by the Korean religious group in preaching against the local (Pakistani) customs,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.
“We have always advised Chinese nationals that they abide by the local laws and regulations in their business activities and tourism overseas. If they did violate the local laws and regulations of Pakistan, we will cooperate with Pakistani government in investigating this,” Lu said.
On Wednesday, South Korea rejected Pakistan’s claim that the two Chinese nationals — abducted and allegedly killed by the Islamic State — were preaching Christianity under the guise of studying Urdu at a school run by a South Korean.
“With regard to the two Chinese confirmed to have been killed...by the Islamic State, nothing has so far been found to verify the suspicion that they were involved with a Korean missionary group,” an official from the South Korean foreign ministry had said.
“Nevertheless, it is a fact that the two Chinese, along with ten other Chinese, took classes at a local Urdu language school run by a national of the Republic of Korea by the name of Seo,” the official said, using the formal name for South Korea.
There is a discrepancy in the number of Chinese nationals involved in the episode in Balochistan — Beijing says there are 11 who remain in the area, while Seoul says 10.
Chinese state media has all but put the blame on Lee and Meng. Quoting sources, the nationalistic Global Times tabloid said they were killed because they were preaching Christianity, guided and encouraged by the South Korean.