China asks Pakistan to step up safety after its citizens were abducted in Balochistan
The abduction of a Chinese couple teaching at a language school near Quetta has underlined the safety concerns for China as it steps up its presence in Pakistan under its $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor plan.
In Short
- 2 Chinese language teachers kidnapped in Balochistan.
- China pointedly asked Islamabad to take measures to improve safety of Chinese citizens, assets.
- China is stepping up its presence in Pakistan with its $46 billion CPEC plan.
China on Thursday said it called on Pakistani authorities "to take every necessary measure" to rescue two Chinese language teachers kidnapped in Balochistan and pointedly asked Islamabad to take measures to improve safety of Chinese citizens and assets.
The abduction of a Chinese couple teaching at a language school near Quetta has underlined the safety concerns for China as it steps up its presence in Pakistan under its $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor plan. Thousands of Chinese workers will move to Pakistan to take up projects under the plan, including in Balochistan where China is managing and developing the Gwadar port into a massive trade zone.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed Wednesday's abduction. "The Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety of overseas Chinese citizens and condemns the abduction of personnel in any form," spokesperson Lu Kang said.
"After the incident happened, the Chinese government, along with relevant departments, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and the Chinese Consulate General in Karachi, immediately launched the emergency response mechanism."
Lu added pointedly that China "requests relevant Pakistani authorities to take every necessary measure to rescue the abducted while ensuring their safety, and take more effective measures to secure the safety of Chinese citizens and organs in Pakistan."
"The Chinese government will work with the Pakistani side to make the utmost efforts for the early and safe release of the kidnapped personnel," Lu said.
Lu on Thursday also rebutted the reported criticism of CPEC from a UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) report, saying that the ESCAP's recent session in Bangkok had "supported the synergy between ESCAP and the Belt and Road Initiative."
"This has again demonstrated and spoken to the extensive support for the Belt and Road Initiative from the international community," Lu said, with Chinese officials pointing that beyond ESCAP, the UN Security Council had also mentioned the project in a resolution.
"According to our information, ESCAP did not issue a specialized report on CPEC," Lu said, when asked about the report suggesting that it could heighten disputes between India and Pakistan as elements of CPEC pass through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "As to your question that CPEC may involve the disputed areas between India and Pakistan, we have reiterated many times that as an economic initiative, CPEC is neither targeted at any third party nor related to territorial disputes. It will not affect China's principled position on the Kashmir issue."
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