China said terrorism is a “common enemy” and it would continue to work with Pakistan to deal with the threat of terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese people and personnel in Pakistan, days after a suicide bomber targeted a Chinese convoy in southwestern Pakistan 

“Terrorism is the common enemy of mankind. China firmly opposes any force using terrorism to seek geopolitical interests,” Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said in a briefing on Monday in Bejing.

Last week, a suicide bomber belonging to the Baluch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group in Pakistan, targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals near the port town of Gwadar in its restive Balochistan province. At least two children were killed and three people were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself near the vehicle Friday evening, Pakistan's Dawn news reported. 

Wang offered condolence over the killing of Pakistani citizens in the attack and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved families and injured.

Earlier, following a string of attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, Beijing has expressed serious concern over what it called the “worsening” security situation in the country where China has invested around $70 billion in several projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

Last week, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong had met Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and asked him to have strong security protocols for the security and safety of Chinese nationals working in various projects in Pakistan. 

Over the last few months, the scope and intensity of attacks on Chinese targets have increased significantly, including the explosion on 14 July that targeted a bus carrying Chinese workers in its northwestern province where nine Chinese were killed. 

On 28 July, unknown gunmen targeted a Chinese national in the southern port city of Karachi, leaving him seriously injured.  

Following the attack, the Chinese Embassy issued a statement, asking Pakistani authorities at all levels to take practical and effective measures to implement strengthened “whole-process security measures and upgrade security cooperation mechanism” to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again.

“Recently, the security situation in Pakistan has worsened. There have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in the casualties of several Chinese citizens. The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan reminds the Chinese citizens in Pakistan to be vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections,” the statement said.

(SAM)