France has said that China executed a French citizen convicted of drug trafficking after keeping him on death row for more than 15 years. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement last night that Chan Thao Phoumy, 62, was executed in Guangzhou, despite repeated clemency appeals from French authorities.

He had been sentenced to death by a Chinese court in 2010. The ministry expressed consternation, adding that his defence was denied access to the final court hearing, which it said violated his rights. In response, the Chinese Embassy in Paris stated that China treats defendants of all nationalities equally and handles cases impartially in accordance with the law, without directly mentioning Chan.