China calls for steady ties with Britain
By IANSTuesday, January 5, 2010
BEIJING - China Tuesday called for steady development of ties with Britain after the row over the execution of a British drug convict in the country.
The 53-year-old British national was caught with about 4 kg of heroin in his possession at the Urumqi International Airport. He arrived here from Tajikstan capital, Dushanbe, Sep 12, 2007.
China’s criminal law stipulates that the trafficking of more than 50 grams of heroin is punishable by death.
“China attaches importance to its ties with Britain and it conforms with the two states’ interests to maintain steady development of bilateral ties,” Xinhua reported Tuesday quoting foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu.
China’s ties with Britain have strained after the execution of drug smuggler Akmal Shaikh on Dec 29. British politicians and the media criticized the Chinese action.
“The Chinese judiciary’s right to treat cases according to the rule of law should be respected and there’s nobody who has the right to make improper comments on China’s judicial sovereignty,” Jiang told reporters here.
