Anti-terror cooperation with Pakistan to continue: China

Beijing says it opposes any force using terrorism to seek geopolitical interests

BEIJING:

China would continue to work with Pakistan to deal with the threat of terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese people and personnel in Pakistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said.

“Terrorism is the common enemy of mankind. China firmly opposes any force using terrorism to seek geopolitical interests,” Wang said during his regular briefing held in Beijing on Monday.

Expressing shock and condemning the attack on a vehicle carrying the Chinese nationals in Gwadar, he offered condolence over the killing of Pakistani personnel in the attack and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved families and injured.

Read more: ‘Pakistan in control, China to cement grip in Afghanistan’s new Great Game’

The spokesperson urged the Pakistani side to arrest the perpetrators and punish them as soon as possible.

He said the Pakistani side had given proper treatment to the injured Chinese personnel, adding that the Pakistani authorities had said they would take every effort to ensure the safety of the Chinese projects in Pakistan.

He called on all regional countries to collaborate in eradicating terrorist groups and upholding the common safety and development interests of all the countries in the region.

Responding to a question about Chinese nationals still in Afghanistan, he said that the Chinese side is closely following the security of the Chinese institutions and officials in Afghanistan.

Read more: ‘Pakistan in control, China to cement grip in Afghanistan’s new Great Game’

“Now our embassy there is operating normally. Most Chinese nationals in Afghanistan have returned to China beforehand with the arrangement made by our embassy,” he added.

With regards to the few Chinese who stayed there, he said, the Chinese embassy is in close contact with them, given them guidelines on strengthening the awareness of safety and taken relevant measures coordinated with the Afghanistan side to offering security guarantees for them.

Noting reports of the announcement of the government framework by the Afghan Taliban in near future, he said that China’s position on the Afghan issue is consistent and clear cut.

“We hope Afghanistan can form an inclusive open broad-based government which adopts a foreign and domestic policy that is prudent and moderate so as to echo and meet the aspiration and shared will of the international community and its own people,” he added.

To yet another question, he stressed that the US was an important perpetrator and biggest external factor for the Afghan issue. “It cannot leave the mess without doing anything.”

He said that the US also pledged clearly that it wanted to help Afghanistan to maintain stability with peace, reconstruction and development.

“We hope the US will match its words with deeds and shoulder its responsibility to honour its own commitments in humanitarian assistance and reconstruction,” he added.

The spokesperson said that China always adopted a friendly policy towards the entire Afghan people. “We have provided substantial assistance to socio-economic development in the country.”

He hoped that there would be an early end to the chaos and wars in the country, and it could resume financial order at an early date. "China will also play a positive role in helping the country in self capacity building, peace and reconstruction and improvement of people's livelihood."