Beijing Calls On Pakistan To Protect Chinese Nationals Following Deadly Roadside Attack

The bombing took place in Gwadar, where China has built a deep-sea port. (file photo)

Beijing has asked Islamabad to take steps to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan following a deadly suicide attack in the southwestern province of Balochistan.

Two children were killed and four others including a Chinese national were wounded in the attack late on August 20 when a vehicle was targeted by a suicide bomber.

"The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan strongly condemns this act of terrorism, extends its sincere sympathies to the injured of both countries, and expresses its deep condolences to the innocent victims in Pakistan," the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement.

"Pakistan must take practical and effective measures...to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again,” the embassy added.

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the bombing in Gwadar, where China has built a deep-sea port.

China is involved in a $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and 15,000 troops have been sent to the region to protect thousands of Chinese nationals.

In July, a suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying workers to a construction site in northern Pakistan, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese.

Based on dpa and Reuters