ly, saying the British should withdraw their criticism if they did not want to damage relations between the two.

In a statement that will resonate with ordinary Chinese, Beijing said “strong resentment” about illegal drugs in the country was based on “the bitter memory of history”, a reference to Britain's role in the 19th century in enforcing the import of opium into China.

“It is the common wish of people around the world to strike against the crime of drug trafficking,” the Chinese foreign ministry said.

The foreign ministry added that Beijing hoped “an individual criminal case” would not affect broader bilateral ties.

Mr Shaikh was executed on Tuesday in Urumqi, the capital of China's westernmost province of Xinjiang.

His family issued a statement saying it was “ludicrous” that their relative was required to prove his own mental disability, thought to be bipolar disorder.

China carried out more executions than the rest of the world put together last year, Amnesty International said.

Early signs of Chinese public opinion showed widespread approval of the execution, with most respondents on website Sohu.com, a popular portal, supporting it.

Even in the UK public opinion was at least somewhat divided, with readers of a popular British newspaper posting support online for a column suggesting the decision may have been justified.