State Councilor and Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said on Tuesday he hoped Pakistan will take measures to further ensure safety of Chinese people in the south Asia country.

 

Cao, also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when meeting with visiting Secretary of Defense of Pakistan Kamran Rasool, following a shooting attack on four Chinese nationals by unknown assailants in the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar on July 8.

 

Three people were killed and the other was wounded in the shooting.

 

"The incident would not shake the foundation of the friendship between China and Pakistan, but I hope the government of Pakistan will take measures to further ensure safety of Chinese people in Pakistan," Cao said.

 

Before Cao, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang condemned the attack on July 9, urging Pakistan to get to the bottom of the attack as soon as possible and mete out severe punishment to the criminals.

 

Rasool said that the Pakistani government and people felt sorrowful for the deaths of the three Chinese, and the government is trying its best to provide sound safety measures to Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

 

Cao hailed the relations between the two countries and the two armed forces, saying the two countries are friendly neighbors and the two peoples share a long history of friendship, adding the relationship between the two armed forces is also very close.

 

Cao said the two sides should continue to make joint efforts to promote the strategic partnership of cooperation.

 

Rasool said Pakistan greatly values the traditional friendly ties and cooperation with China and Pakistan is willing to make joint efforts with China to deepen the strategic partnership.

 

Rasool arrived in Beijing Monday. He will also visit Shanghai to continue his five-day China tour.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2007)