Chinese Ambassador meets Bilawal Bhutto at Zardari House

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong arrived at Zardari House in Islamabad to meet Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday.

The visiting dignitary and Bilawal discussed bilateral relations between China and Pakistan. The two sides also discussed ways to increase social and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar was also present during the meeting.

The meeting comes more than a month after the Chinese ambassador urged Islamabad to crack down on terrorist groups targeting Chinese nationals in the country. “Top priority should be the security of the Chinese personnel in Pakistan because they come to Pakistan to participate in Pakistan’s development,” Jiang Zaidong told journalists at a press conference at his residence at the Chinese Embassy.

“They [Chinese] are innocent and they don’t deserve this kind of sacrifice and their families do not deserve this kind of tragedy,” the envoy added.

The ambassador said during the recent visit of the Chinese premier the Pakistani leader made commitments that the government would crack down on terrorism and effectively safeguard the security of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects.

Responding to the Chinese ambassador’s remarks, Pakistan said they were “perplexing” and contrary to established diplomatic traditions between the neighbors. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch said at a weekly news conference in Islamabad that the government was dedicated to ensuring the security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan.