Photo courtesy China Foreign Ministry
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday stressed that any attempt to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project or harm the “time-tested” friendship between the neighboring nations will not succeed.
In a media briefing after last week’s terrorist attack on Chinese engineers in Gwadar, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China would “continue to work with the Pakistani side to jointly guard against and counter the threats of terrorism and earnestly protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan.” According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces killed two terrorists in an exchange of fire in Gwadar when the militants targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers.
Summarizing the details of the terror attack, which occurred on Aug. 13, he said a convoy of Chinese engineers had been targeted with roadside bombs and gunshots. However, he said, no Chinese citizens were killed or injured in the attack. While strongly condemning the attack, he said the Chinese government had asked Islamabad to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Wang said the Chinese Embassy and its Consulate in Pakistan had launched emergency response measures immediately and reminded Chinese citizens, companies, and institutions working on projects in Pakistan to stay vigilant and take measures to bolster security. They should also, he said, closely follow the security situation, guard against security risks and keep themselves safe.
Also on Monday, the spokesperson congratulated Anwaarul Haq Kakar on his appointment as caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan. “No matter how the international landscape and the domestic situation in Pakistan may change, the ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan will always remain rock-firm and unbreakable,” he said, adding China was ready to work with Pakistan to advance their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.