China, Pakistan to cooperate on anti-terrorism

FM Wang says regardless of motives, culprits of bus attack must be tracked down, punished 

China and Pakistan have agreed to enhance their anti-terrorism cooperation and procedures to prevent the recurrence of incidents like the terrorist attack on a Dasu Hydropower Project bus that killed nine Chinese nationals.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the agreement on Saturday during the third session of the bilateral foreign ministers' strategic dialogue in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The two countries pledged to strengthen measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese projects, nationals and institutions in Pakistan, in a joint statement released after the meeting.

Noting that China and Pakistan are both victims of the terrorist attack, Wang said during the meeting that regardless of the motives, where the culprits are, or what kind of forces protect them, the perpetrators must be tracked down and seriously punished.

Qureshi said Pakistan will protect Chinese nationals in Pakistan as it does its own citizens, and the Pakistani government will fully investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Pakistan will thwart attempts to damage Pakistan-China cooperation and will never allow any forces to undermine their bilateral, all-weather, strategic and cooperative partnership, he said.

Other than the Dasu terrorist attack, China and Pakistan are both directly affected by the situation in their mutual neighboring country Afghanistan, and they exchanged views on the issue.

The two countries have called for a complete cease-fire and a political settlement through negotiation among relevant stakeholders in Afghanistan.

China and Pakistan will strive for peace with all their strength to avoid, as a top priority, the spread of war, Wang told reporters after their meeting.

They will actively advance intra-Afghan talks, work together to combat terrorism and push all major forces in Afghanistan away from terrorism, and promote coordination and cooperation among neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Wang said.

They urged the United States to earnestly fulfill its responsibilities for the peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan, Wang said.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations. The two countries agreed to carry forward a high level of mutual trust, mutual assistance, common pursuit of peace and common development, which are important elements of the spirit of their bilateral ties, Wang said.

The two countries should deepen strategic cooperation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, adding that China will continue to assist Pakistan in meeting its vaccine needs, and will help the country to enhance building its national health system to reduce the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development.

China and Pakistan jointly oppose vaccine nationalism and actions to politicize the origins of the coronavirus, he said.

The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to continue to advance the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to help boost regional connectivity and benefit people from more regional countries, Wang said.