China to continue support for Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts

China will continue to support Pakistan in counter-terrorism operations, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, after two Chinese nationals were wounded in a shooting in the country's commercial hub Karachi last week.

China and Pakistan have the determination and ability to thwart all attempts to undermine China-Pakistan relations and make terrorists pay the price, spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular news conference in Beijing today.

"China reaffirms that terrorism is the enemy of all mankind. It is the common responsibility of the international community to combat terrorism and prevent tragedies from happening again,” he said.

"China reaffirms that terrorism is the enemy of all mankind. It is the common responsibility of the international community to combat terrorism and prevent tragedies from happening again,” he said.

The spokesperson said that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners, with ironclad friendship deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the two countries, and any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries will not succeed.

“China will continue to support Pakistan's economic and social development and improve people's livelihoods, and resolutely carry out cooperation in various fields between China and Pakistan to benefit the people of both countries.”

The shooting occurred at a factory in Karachi’s SITE industrial area, after which the injured Chinese citizens were rushed to a local hospital.

A view of police mobile and an ambulance outside a factory where according to police, two Chinese nationals were shot at and injured, in Karachi, Pakistan November 5, 2024. Reuters

A police source told Nuktathat the shooting was not related to militant violence but was instead the result of a dispute between a security guard working at the factory and the Chinese nationals.

String of incidents

The attack followed a string of recent incidents, including a bombing near Karachi's international airport that killed two Chinese engineers last month, which was claimed by separatist militant group the Balochistan Liberation Army.

China has stepped up longstanding demands for better security for its citizens in Pakistan. Ambassador Jiang Zaidong told a gathering in Islamabad last month that the rising number of deadly attacks was unacceptable.

A member of the Airport Security Force ASF stands guard near the wreckage of vehicles after an explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan October 6, 2024. Reuters

The Pakistan foreign office said Islamabad was fully committed to providing security for Chinese nationals, projects and institutions. It said in a statement on Oct. 31 that the commitment had been conveyed at the highest levels of the Chinese government.

Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Chinese nationals, Tuesday's statement said, adding: "We extend our sympathies to the families of the injured and offer prayers for their swift recovery."

A decades-long insurgency in the southwestern province of Balochistan has led to frequent attacks against the government, army, and Chinese interests.

The region is home to the deep-water Gwadar port built by Beijing as part of $65 billion in investments for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under Chinese President Xi's Belt and Road Initiative.