Beijing, April 7 -- China has drawn sharp criticism from France following the execution of a French national who had spent over two decades in detention on drug-related charges. The French Foreign Ministry confirmed on April 4 that 62-year-old Chan Thao Phoumy was put to death after being sentenced in 2010 for drug trafficking offences, as reported by The Epoch Times.

According to The Epoch Times, Paris had repeatedly sought leniency, urging Beijing to grant clemency on humanitarian grounds.

However, Chinese authorities defended the decision, with their embassy in France stating that strict punishment for drug crimes is applied uniformly, regardless of nationality.

Confusion persists about the identity and origins of the executed man. ...