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Wagah bombing: China calls for ‘joint’ efforts to fight terror
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BEIJING: Condemning the suicide bombing at Wagah border crossing in Pakistan, China on Monday called for “joint” efforts to fight terrorism, while pledging stronger ties with its “all-weather strategic partner”. “China strongly condemns the suicide bombing,” National People’s Congress (NPC) Chairman Zhang Dejiang told Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Rashad Mahmood, while pledging stronger ties with Islamabad. The chairman of the Chinese parliament also called for joint efforts to fight terrorism, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. General Rashad said that the Pakistan-China friendship was a cornerstone of his country’s foreign policy, vowing to back Chinese efforts to combat militants such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) outfit, which is blamed for various terrorist attacks in China’s restive Xinjiang province. ETIM militants are reported to have bases in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Calling the two countries “all-weather strategic partners,” Zhang said that beefing up China-Pakistan cooperation and upgrading bilateral ties were part of the consensus reached by both leaders, Xinhua reported. He asked various departments of both countries, including legislatures and armed forces, to implement the consensus of both leaders, aid the construction of major cooperation projects, enhance trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk