Nepal
On Wednesday, China’s Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, Liu Jinsong, met Nepalese Ambassador to China Mahendra Bahadur Pandey.
Liu said China is willing to strengthen cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and on matters concerning economy and trade, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. He added that China is also ready to expand bilateral cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Pandey responded that the Nepalese side is willing to advance major cooperation projects under the BRI and steadily promote the construction of the China-Nepal Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.
Pakistan
On Tuesday, Liu Jinsong met the Pakistani Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque. The diplomats discussed anti-pandemic cooperation, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and the recent Dasu terrorist attack.
On the Dasu attack, Liu said: “The Dasu terrorist attack is the biggest terrorist attack that recently happened to overseas Chinese. China and Pakistan, both victims, should work closely together to find out the truth by each and all necessary means and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
He added: “The two sides should seize the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations to carry out close communication and dialogue, strengthen cooperation in COVID-19 response, counterterrorism and security, promote the high-quality development of the CPEC, and ensure that the boat of China-Pakistan relations cleaves the waves.”
For his part, Haque said Pakistan “firmly opposes the politicisation of the virus origin tracing.” He also said that Pakistan is firmly committed to speeding up the construction of the CPEC, and strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Dasu and “vows to seek the truth and severely punish the real murderers.” In this regard, Haque vowed to take “all necessary security actions to provide safeguards for the practical cooperation” between the all-weather allies.
Afghanistan
Last Friday, the External Security Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Cheng Guoping, met the Afghan Ambassador to China, Javid Ahmad Qaem. The duo exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism and security cooperation between the two countries.
Cheng said China is willing to deepen the China-Afghanistan interdepartmental and inter-regional security cooperation mechanism, cooperation in counterterrorism and security, and push forward the China-Afghanistan strategic and cooperative partnership.
In response, Qaem said Afghanistan would continue to combat the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and other terrorist forces with China and maintain regional security and stability.
Chinese Diplomacy: Weekly Round-Up (06 - 13 August, 2021)
This week, Chinese diplomats held meetings with officials from Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
August 13, 2021
Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong SOURCE: HANDOUT