Beijing [China], 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. While French outlets such as Le Monde described him as a French citizen born in Laos, Chinese state media claimed he was originally from Guangzhou. This discrepancy could not be independently verified.
Chan was first detained in 2005 alongside several others accused of trafficking drugs from Southeast Asia into China.
Initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007, his case took a harsher turn in 2010 when new allegations, including involvement in manufacturing synthetic drugs like methamphetamine, led to a retrial and eventual death sentence.
French officials also raised concerns about due process, stating that Chan's legal team was denied access to his final court proceedings.
The ministry described this as a serious violation of his legal rights and reiterated France's firm opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances.
The case adds to growing international unease over China's use of the death penalty.
Earlier in 2025, four Canadian nationals were executed on similar charges, prompting condemnation from Ottawa, as cited by The Epoch Times.
Canada called the practice irreversible and incompatible with fundamental human dignity.