China confirmed on Sunday the execution of French national Chan Thao Phoumy, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for his role in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation.

The 62-year-old naturalized French citizen was arrested in March 2005 as part of a major anti-drug operation targeting 89 suspects and 16 production sites. Initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007, a Guangzhou court upgraded his penalty to death in 2010 for involvement in a network that produced several tonnes of crystal methamphetamine since 1999. The operation, valued at around 100 million yuan (about $15 million), involved manufacturing, transportation, and distribution exceeding China's 50-gram threshold for the death penalty in methamphetamine cases.

Phoumy spent over 15 years on death row and more than 20 years in total incarceration before the execution in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. France's Foreign Ministry announced the execution on Saturday, expressing "consternation" and regret that his defense team was barred from the final court hearing, which it described as a violation of his rights. The ministry noted repeated efforts to secure a humanitarian pardon, which were unsuccessful.

"We particularly regretted that his defence was not allowed to attend the court's final hearing," the French ministry stated. France extended condolences to Phoumy's family and reaffirmed its opposition to the death penalty "everywhere and in all circumstances," calling for its universal abolition.

China's embassy in France responded by emphasizing that the country "did not discriminate against defendants based on nationality" and handles cases "strictly and fairly in accordance with the law." A spokesperson added that "cracking down on drug-related crime is a shared responsibility of all countries."

The case involved a trafficking ring that expanded production from sites near Guangzhou to other areas in Guangdong and Henan provinces. Phoumy's girlfriend received a four-year sentence in Hong Kong in 2011 for money laundering related to the proceeds.

China maintains some of the world's strictest anti-drug laws, with the death penalty applicable for trafficking quantities as low as 50 grams of methamphetamine or heroin. Executions for drug crimes are common, though official statistics are not released. Foreign nationals have faced similar penalties in past cases, underscoring Beijing's firm stance regardless of nationality.

The execution has strained Franco-Chinese relations, with French officials lamenting the outcome despite diplomatic interventions. It highlights ongoing tensions over human rights and capital punishment between the two nations.