China-Pakistan Photo: VCG

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday that China gives priority to its relations with Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy, and urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the Karachi terrorist attack, where Chinese nationals were killed, to justice as soon as possible.

Pakistan's authorities on Monday arrested a woman who tried to carry out a suicide bombing against a convoy of a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. The woman allegedly belongs to the same group that carried out the April 26 Karachi terrorist attack, CCTV reported.

Li said that China is shocked and outraged by the April 26 terrorist attack at the Confucius Institute of the University of Karachi where three Chinese teachers were killed. 

We hope that Pakistan will bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible, make every effort to deal with the aftermath, comfort the bereaved families and the injured, and comprehensively strengthen security measures for Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan to ensure that tragedies like this will not happen again, Li stressed.

Li said China and Pakistan are friendly neighbors and close friends. China always gives priority to its relations with Pakistan in its neighborhood diplomacy, and will, as always, firmly support Pakistan to defend national sovereignty and security, and support the development of the Pakistani economy, improve people's livelihood, and maintain financial stability.

China is willing to work with Pakistan to strengthen strategic communication, promote the China-Pakistan economic corridor and other major projects, and strengthen personnel exchanges on both sides under the conditions of epidemic prevention and control, Li said.

Sharif again expressed deep condolences for the Chinese personnel killed in the terrorist attack, strongly condemned terrorism, while stressing that Pakistan cherishes the safety of the Chinese personnel, and will try its best to investigate the attack to arrest and punish the murderer in accordance with the law. 

Pakistan will strengthen security measures for all Chinese institutions and personnel in the country to ensure that similar incidents do not recur, Sharif said.

The Pakistani prime minister also said that China-Pakistan friendship is deeply rooted and bilateral cooperation has reached an unprecedented high level. Pakistan is ready to work with China to speed up the construction of the economic corridor, deepen cooperation on key projects and special economic zones, and increase personnel exchanges to bring more benefits to the two peoples. 

Global Times