In response to the two Chinese nationals who were abducted by the Islamic State in Quetta, China's Foreign Ministry said that they will work with the Pakistan Government to investigate whether they were missionaries.
In response to the two Chinese nationals who were abducted by the Islamic State in Quetta, China's Foreign Ministry said that they will work with the Pakistan Government to investigate whether they were missionaries.
Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said in statement 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." He attached great importance on protecting the safety and legal rights of Chinese nationals overseas, but said that they must adhere to local laws and regulations and respect local traditions and customs.
Pakistan authorities identified the pair as Lee Zing Yang, 24, and Meng Li Si, 26, who were abducted by armed men pretending to be policemen on May 24 in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan province. Islamic State's Amaq news agency stated last week that its members had killed them.
The incident was a rare crime witnessed against Chinese nationals in Pakistan, which has long had close ties to Beijing, but has alarmed the growing Chinese community in the country.
On Monday, Pakistan's Interior Ministry alleged for the first time that the two were preachers who had abused the visa system by posing as business people to enter the country.
"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.
The statement did not mention what kind of preachers they were, nor did it say if the Korean was from North Korea or South Korea.
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.
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 "Will investigate reports of Chinese pair abducted in Pakistan were 'missionaries', says Beijing")
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