China to cooperate with Pakistan on training SPU for security of Chinese citizens

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Interior Minister Qi Yanjun Thursday assured "full cooperation" to Pakistan for the training of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) and other security related matters in meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Mohsin Naqvi.

In the meeting, held at the office of China's mission to the United Nations in New York, United States, they spoke about cooperation on training and capacity building of Pakistan's law enforcement agencies through the use of modern equipment and technology.

The Chinese minister appreciated the establishment of the unit in Islamabad, which is particularly aimed at the protection of Chinese citizens in the country following a spate of terror attacks targeting them in Pakistan.

Both ministers discussed ties between both the countries as well as security issues being faced in the region.

"Pakistan, China are all-weather friends. Pak-China friendship is stronger than steel," said Yanjun in discussion with Interior Minister Naqvi.

The meeting between the two ministers comes days after Islamabad approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam amid an increase in terror incidents as “a collective multidimensional operation and national vision of the entire state system”.

Naqvi, in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong earlier this month, had also assured providing foolproof security to Chinese citizens working on different projects in Pakistan, reiterating that no one can create rifts between the two countries.

Pakistani interior minister, on the other hand, assured his counterpart about Islamabad's foolproof arrangements for the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan in the wake of past attacks.

He also briefed Yanjun regarding the progress on the investigation of the Dasu terror attack.

Following the briefing today, Yanjun expressed satisfaction over the ongoing probe of the case, affirming that Pakistani institutions handled the case in a diligent and professional manner.

On the other hand, the Chinese minister also extended an invitation to Naqvi to participate in the Global Security Forum in September this year, which the interior minister accepted.

Minister Naqvi also invited his counterpart to visit Pakistan, reiterating the strong friendship between the two nations. "We are all proud of our friendship with China."

Both Naqvi and Yanjun are currently in New York to attend the UN-COP conference.