CHINA-PAKISTAN: TERROR THREAT

On December 8, 2017, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad took the unusual step of posting on its official website a warning to Chinese nationals of plans for a series of imminent “terrorist attacks” on Chinese targets there.  The statement said “It is understood that terrorists plan in the near term to launch a series of attacks against Chinese organizations and personnel in Pakistan,” and warned all “Chinese-invested organizations and Chinese citizens to increase security awareness, strengthen internal precautions, reduce trips outside as much as possible, and avoid crowded public spaces”.
Separately, the Canada-based Chinese news outlet Duowei reported that the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan had asked Chinese-funded institutions and Chinese citizens in Tajikistan to earnestly heighten awareness and reinforce internal security and minimize their outings and avoid going to crowded places. It said there was news earlier that terrorists had infiltrated Pakistan in an attempt to assassinate the new Chinese ambassador and cited a report in the Times of India of 23 October that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) had threatened the life of the new Chinese ambassador to Islamabad. According to reports, the Chinese Embassy sent a letter to the Pakistani Interior Ministry on October 19, stating that members of ETIM had quietly sneaked into Pakistan in an attempt to assassinate the PRC Ambassador, Yao Jing. The letter was reportedly widely circulated in Pakistan's local media. When asked about the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on October 23 that he did not know anything about it, however, he stressed that the ETIM is a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council and that the fight against the ETIM is an important part of the international anti-terrorist efforts.






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