Condemning the killing of a Chinese national by the Islamic State (Isis), Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "terrorism is the common enemy of human beings" and vowed to crack down on any terrorist crime that challenges the bottom line of human civilisation.
Jinping spoke on the sidelines of the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, on Thursday, in Manila.
The country on Thursday confirmed the death of Chinese hostage Fan Jinghui who had been held by the IS.
Expressing condolences for Fan's death and deep sympathies to his family, foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said, "The Chinese government strongly condemns the atrocity against humanity and the criminals must be brought to justice."
The Chinese government went all out to rescue the hostage after learning of the kidnapping. The IS, however, ignored basic human morality and brutally killed Fan, Hong said.
On Wednesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said that there was no reason to doubt that a Norwegian citizen taken hostage by the Islamic State (IS) was killed.
The IS "claimed today that they have executed Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad ... Our experts are examining (the published pictures) but so far we have no reason to doubt its content," Solberg told a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Borge Brende, Xinhua reported.
"This is a cold-blooded murder. The government strongly condemns the killing of a Norwegian citizen. This is a despicable and barbaric act," the Norwegian prime minister said.
Solberg reiterated that Norway would never pay ransom and said "it will put more Norwegians in danger, help the funding of terrorism, and breach our international obligations."
Earlier in September, the Isis had said it had captured a Chinese hostage and a Norwegian hostage, who were identified by the IS's English-language magazine Dabiq as Fan from China and Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad from Norway, and demanded an unspecified ransom.
The IS included gruesome images of the bodies of a Norwegian and a Chinese man in the latest issue of its English-language magazine "Dabiq", saying they have been "executed".
