China calls bin Laden death ‘positive development’

Wednesday, 4 May 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

BEIJING (AFP): China said the death of Osama bin Laden was a “positive development” in the fight against terrorism and called for stepped-up world anti-terror cooperation.

“We believe (bin Laden’s death) is a milestone and a positive development in the international anti-terrorism struggle,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website late Monday.

“Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. China has also been a victim of terrorism, “ said the statement.

“China maintains that the international community should step up cooperation in working together to fight terrorism.”

Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US armed forces on a heavily-fortified compound in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad on Sunday.

The death of the Al-Qaeda leader blamed for the September 11 attacks of 2001 set off jubilation in the United States but also warnings around the worldwide of potential reprisals by his supporters.