China Expresses Condolences for the Victims of the New Orleans Attack

China expressed Thursday condolences for the victims of the car-ramming attack in New Orleans on the first day of the new year.

The U.S. authorities said the driver of a pickup truck sped through a crowd of pedestrians gathered in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district early on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring about 30 other revelers.

While a motive for the attack has yet to be revealed, the FBI is investigating it as a terrorist act.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the country was “shocked” by the attack and restated its opposition to “violent terrorist acts targeting civilians.”

Separately, Mao commented on recent high-level exchanges between China and Japan, saying the Chinese government looked forward to “properly” handling differences and “building a constructive and stable” relationship with Japan.

Her remarks came after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba underscored the importance of him visiting China in a media interview recently.

At a meeting in November during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru, the two heads of state agreed to strengthen efforts to improve ties, despite many differences ranging from territorial disputes to the discharge of water from Japan’s tsunami-wrecked nuclear power plant.