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)
