Xi Decries Islamic State Execution as Syria War Touches China
- Expresses condolences for first national executed by group
- Death unlikely to steer China toward backing military response
Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Xi Jinping condemned the Islamic State’s execution of a Chinese national, an act that raises pressure on China to take a greater role in resolving Syria’s civil war.
Xi issued a statement on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila on Thursday, after Islamic State claimed credit for killing Fan Jinghui, 50, and another Norwegian captive. The group published pictures of the two dead men in its English-language Dabiq magazine on Wednesday under the banner "Executed." It was the first time the Islamic State had killed a Chinese captive.