China Focus: Chinese denounce terror following deadly attacks in Paris

After a spate of deadly attacks rocked Paris, Chinese authorities and citizens mourned the victims and denounced terrorism.

The city suffered two shootings and one hostage situation over the course of three days, resulting in 17 dead. The gunmen responsible were associated with an Islamist group.

In the most deadly assault, gunmen shot dead 12 people at the office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, including the magazine's editor, celebrated cartoonists and two policemen, and injured 11 others.

French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday called the shooting an act of terror.

The horrible tragedy also drew sympathy and condemnation of terrorism from Chinese authorities, media and the common people.

After the attack, the front page of the magazine's official website featured the French words "I am Charlie" in bold characters against a black background to mourn the victims.

After learning the news, Chinese Internet users also used the phrase to express solidarity with the victims.

An Internet user called "Yingxiang" said on the microblog Weibo that the incidents marked a showdown between terrorism and anti-terror forces, and was a true test of human conscience. "Therefore, today all of humanity is Charlie," the blogger wrote.

Another Weibo blogger, "MAX, a bilingual moderator," said it was a shame there was no Chinese version of the phrase "I am Charlie" on the magazine's official website, but said the Chinese people would like to voice the sentiment from the bottom of their hearts.

User "Xiaozhoutian" wished for peace in Paris and safety for all her friends in the city.

Many posted images of candles to mourn the victims on Weibo.

Following the shooting at Charlie Hebdo, a post went viral on another popular social media platform, Weixin, listing the magazine's Islam-themed cartoons, which might be interpreted as blasphemy.

Soon afterwards, another Weixin post by Xinhua International, a digital media account of Xinhua News Agency, pointed out that the bloodshed was not caused by cartoons, but by an extremist mindset.

"The cartoons of this magazine did trigger controversy, protests and even lawsuits in the past. However, those responses were all peaceful," the post said. "Retaliation with terrorist attacks is inexcusable and deplorable."

The Communist Party of China-run Global Times asserted its "unconditional" opposition to terror and violence in an editorial carried on Friday.

A Chinese anti-terror expert suggested European countries promote mutual tolerance among diverse cultures based on a deeper understanding of Islamic culture.

"Only tolerance of each other's cultures can address the root causes of terrorism," Li was quoted by the People's Daily overseas edition as saying on Saturday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep grief for the loss of lives and extended sincere condolences to the injured and the families of those killed in a message to his French counterpart, Francois Hollande.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and supports French efforts to protect domestic security. Endi