Attempts to stymie Pak-China cooperation are doomed to fail: Chinese FM Spokesperson

BEIJING – A Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said Wednesday that ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan was unbreakable and any attempt to undermine the bilateral cooperation, mutual trust and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not succeed.

“Our ironclad friendship is unbreakable and attempts to undermine our cooperation, mutual trust and CPEC will not succeed, Wang Wenbin said during his regular briefing in response to questions about the Karachi terrorist attack.

A shuttle van of the Confucius Institute of Karachi University was hit by a terrorist attack on Tuesday, leaving three Chinese teachers and a Pakistani dead. The spokesperson said that terrorism was a common scourge and the blood of the Chinese people would not be shed in vain in terrorism. “Once again, we mourn the passing of the Chinese and Pakistani victims and extend our sincere sympathies to the victims and to the injured and the bereaved families,” he added.

Terming the attack a premeditated suicide terrorist attack targeting Chinese citizens, he said that China supported Pakistan in fighting terrorism and those behind the incident would surely pay the price.

He said that the target was teachers as they were inheritors of human civilization and promoters of cultural exchange, adding, it is egregious and heinous attack. China expresses strong condemnation and great indignation. Wang Wenbin said that people and life come first, adding, the Chinese government attached great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions overseas.

After the attack, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Pakistan following the guidance of China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi immediately activated the emergency response mechanisms and requested the Pakistani side to take proper efforts to treat the injured, handle the follow up matter and conduct a thorough investigation, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice, he added.

He said that the Pakistani side was also asked to take stronger measures to keep the Chinese citizens and institutions safe and make sure such incidents would not happen again.

Wang Wenbin said that the Chinese Embassy and Consulate also reminded the Chinese institutions and personnel to strengthen their safety awareness and ramp up security.

The Chinese departments and local governments were taking actions in coordination besides the Consul General in Karachi yesterday visited the injured Chinese teacher ensuring he was properly treated.

Noting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to convey his condolences, he said that the prime minister visited the Chinese embassy to convey condolences. He also instructed the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

Those behind Karachi bombing will surely pay the price, says Foreign Ministry

He assured that the Pakistani government would spare no efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and hold them accountable. The government promised to give assistance in follow up matters and take further measures to keep strengthen security for Chinese people, projects and institutions and it would not allow any enforce to undermine the two countries friendship and cooperation.

The spokesperson said that the Chinese side also noticed that Chief Minister of Sindh Province, Murad Ali Shah also visited Chinese Consulate General in Karachi to convey condolences and took prompt actions in rescue, follow up matters and investigation.  He observed that the political leaders of many political parties and people from all walks of life had also conveyed their condolences after the attack against Chinese citizens.

We will work together with Pakistan to crack down on terrorist forces and make sure the culprits behind the attack will pay a heavy price, he added.

About the health status of the injured Chinese national, he said that the injured had received the proper treatment.

According to a statement of Sichuan Normal University in southwest China, Huang Guiping, director of the Karachi Confucius Institute, Ding Mufang, a lecturer, and volunteer Chen Sai were killed in the attack. Another lecturer Wang Yuqing was wounded.