Different Faiths Should Respect Each Other, Says Chinese Official

BEIJING, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- China has always asserted that different civilisations or religions should respect one another, treat each other equally and live in harmony, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. Hong was asked to comment on a state-run Xinhua news agency's commentary published on Monday which called for limitation of press freedom following millions of people across France marching to condemn the terror attacks in Paris. The attacks included the deadly shootings at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's office in which 12 people were killed. "The commentary is merely the point of view of the media," he told a regular press briefing, here, on Monday. Following the attack on Charlie Hebdo, Xinhua's Monday commentary said, "it is high time for the Western world to review the root causes of terrorism, as well as the limitation of press freedom, to avoid more violence in the future." It said the cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad had pushed the freedom of expression to its limits, rather than making a satirical point. "The attacks against Charlie Hebdo should not be simplified as attacks on press freedom, for even freedom itself has its limits, which does not include insulting, sneering or taunting other people's religions or beliefs," it said. Meanwhile, Hong said China's ambassador to France, Kong Quan joined the march, and mourned for the victims and expressed sympathy to their families and the injured. Kong said China firmly opposed all kinds of terrorism and supported the efforts made by the French to safeguard domestic security. -- BERNAMA