Beijing: China has lashed out at Pakistan over the recent terror attacks targeting its citizens working in the country, calling them “unacceptable” and advising that both Beijing and Islamabad can crack down on terrorists to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals.
“We could crack down on these terrorists jointly,” Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong was quoted as saying by The News International on Tuesday. The envoy was addressing an international conference on “China at 75: A Journey of Progress, Transformation and Leadership” in Islamabad.
China demands action from Pakistan
Jiang affirmed that Beijing expects action against those responsible for the terrorist attacks, stating, “This is unacceptable to China, and we hope the Pakistani side will ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.”
Jiang stressed that the security of Chinese citizens is a top priority for President Xi Jinping, who has underscored this in numerous meetings with Pakistani leaders.
Jiang’s public comments, hinting at Beijing’s possible growing impatience with Pakistan, follow two terror attacks till now in March and October. The latter was a suicide attack near Karachi’s airport, claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which killed two Chinese citizens and injured ten others.
The Karachi airport attack came ahead of Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to Pakistan. The BLA, a separatist group accusing China and Pakistan of exploiting the resource-rich province of Balochistan, has carried out similar suicide bombings targeting foreign nationals in Karachi over the past two years.
