- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 25 Jul 2025 02:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Asim Munir China Visit: Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir received a stern diplomatic warning in Beijing, as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed serious concerns regarding the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan. During high-level talks, Wang Yi reminded Munir that repeated attacks on Chinese citizens in the past years, such as fatal suicide bombings in Karachi and north Pakistan in 2024, have tested Beijing's patience. In spite of repeated assurances by Islamabad, there are threats looming around the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “China supports Pakistan in resolutely combating all forms of terrorism and hopes that the Pakistani military will continue to make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan,” a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry said.
Munir Reassures Beijing of ‘Rock Solid’ Brotherhood
In response, Field Marshal Munir emphasised that the Pakistan-China brotherhood has "stood the test of time" and is "solid as a rock." He assured the Chinese side that the Pakistani forces would do everything they could to safeguard Chinese interests and strengthen counter-terrorism ties. Friendship cooperation with China is the consensus of the entire Pakistani society," Munir said, extending gratitude to Beijing for standing by Pakistan's socio-economic growth consistently. Earlier this year, China made the unprecedented move of sending private security personnel to Pakistan to guard major CPEC installations and personnel. This followed repeated attacks by Baloch extremists and other outfits on Chinese workers, triggering alarm in Beijing's strategic community.
The increasingly close China-Pak military relationship is still a cause of concern for India. New Delhi has objected to Chinese assistance to Islamabad, particularly after the recent reports that China furnished live intelligence inputs to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Pakistani troops have also used China-produced military hardware in recent hostilities.
China Calls Pakistan 'Iron-Clad Friend' But Warns on Terror
In spite of its reservations, Beijing reaffirmed its intention to stand by its "iron-clad friend and all-weather strategic partner." Wang Yi wished Munir well on his elevation to Field Marshal and reaffirmed that Pakistan is a diplomatic priority in China's neighborhood policy. "The two sides have always stood in a staunch support of each other's core interests and have stood thick and thin against different challenges," China's Foreign Ministry further said.
The CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, is at the heart of Pakistan's infrastructure aspirations and China's regional ambitions. Yet recurring terror attacks have made it a security hotbed, challenging Pakistan's counter-terror mechanism and straining relations with Beijing. Under increasing pressure from China, Islamabad now has the daunting task of converting promises into action and securing the lives of thousands of Chinese workers driving Pakistan's mega infrastructure drive.