Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirms rescue of abducted Chinese tourist

ISLAMABAD - The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Sunday evening said a Chinese tourist who was kidnapped in Pakistan a year ago has been rescued.

With the combined efforts of China and Pakistan, Hong Xudong, the abducted Chinese tourist, has been rescued recently by the Pakistani side, the embassy said in a statement, adding that China is grateful to the great efforts the Pakistani side has made for Hong's rescue.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference in Islamabad that the Chinese tourist was rescued by Pakistan's security forces and intelligence agencies on Saturday night and was scheduled to be handed over to the Chinese Embassy on Sunday night. However, he didn't mention where the tourist was recovered.

Hong, who was from central China's Hubei Province, was abducted in northwestern Pakistan's Dera Ismail Khan district on May 19, 2014 when traveling in the country on his bicycle. He entered Pakistan in April from India and was on his way to Iran.

The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. There were also unverified reports and video earlier this year showing that Hong was in the custody of the Taliban.