China, Pakistan to jointly work against terrorism: official

China on Monday assured Pakistan of its cooperation in dealing with the threat of terrorism stressing that it will protect the safety of the Chinese people and personnel in the country.

“Terrorism is the common enemy of mankind. China firmly opposes any force using terrorism to seek geopolitical interests,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during his regular briefing.

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

The spokesperson urged the Pakistan 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, the Pakistani authorities had said they would make every effort to ensure the safety of the Chinese personnel projects in Pakistan.

Wang 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 was closely following the security of the Chinese institutions and personnel in Afghanistan.

“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 was in close contact with them, and has 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 Afghan Taliban in near future, he said that China’s position on Afghan issue was 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 share will of the international community and its own people,” he added.

In response to 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 underscored.

Wang said that the US also pledged clearly that it wanted to help Afghanistan 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 Afghan people and added, “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 peoples’ livelihood.