The entrance of Chinese-invested Gwadar Port in Pakistan Photo: cnsphoto

 China and Pakistan will work together to build a strengthened version of counter-terrorism and security cooperation framework. The agreement shows that the China-Pakistan partnership will stand the test of the terrorist attack and become even stronger, according to a meeting between the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan and the President of Pakistan.

The Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong on Monday paid an official visit to President Arif Alvi and they exchanged views on China-Pakistan relations, cooperation in fighting COVID-19, the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and international and regional cooperation.

During the meeting, the president said Pakistan strongly condemns the recent terrorist attack and expresses deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the Chinese victims. 

Pakistan will firmly safeguard the safety of Chinese projects, personnel and institutions in Pakistan and hopes to further strengthen cooperation in Gwadar Port, industry and information technology, and realize trade and digital connectivity. The country hopes to learn from China's development experience in education, health and other social and livelihood areas, the president said. 

The Chinese Ambassador said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. China is willing to exchange experience with Pakistan on governance, provide new opportunities to Pakistan with China's new development and help realize the vision of a "new Pakistan."

China and Pakistan will work together to build a strengthened version of counter-terrorism and security cooperation framework, Nong said. "We believe that China-Pakistan partnership will stand the test of the terrorist attack and become even stronger."

China has always considered Pakistan as a priority in foreign cooperation against the virus, especially in vaccine cooperation. China will continue to increase its vaccine support to Pakistan, and appreciates Pakistan's objective and fair position on the issue of tracing the origins of the virus, the ambassador said. 

Two suspects, who are brothers, have been arrested over suspected involvement in a deadly bus blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan on July 14 that killed nine Chinese nationals, local media reported on July 28. 

According to the Pakistani law and enforcement agencies, the suspects are from Quetta and have been living in Lahore for the past 15 years, local media organization SAMAA reported.

Global Times