ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China are planning to hold a business conference to address security concerns of Chinese investors in the country, the Pakistani interior ministry said on Friday.
The move follows concerns raised by Beijing over attacks by militant groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban targeting Chinese nationals working on energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
Islamabad has stepped up security deployments and intelligence coordination in response to such attacks, while Beijing has pushed for more structured and predictable security engagement.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong met in Islamabad to discuss matters relating to counter-terrorism, security cooperation, police exchange programs and the regional situation.
“It was decided to organize a business conference to address the security concerns faced by Chinese investors in Pakistan,” the Pakistani interior ministry said in a statement.
“In the first phase, meetings will be held with the Chinese business community currently present in Pakistan. In the second phase, engagements will take place with investors interested in investing in Pakistan.”
The ministry did not specify dates for the conference.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan and has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), besides several Chinese private sector manufacturers undertaking joint ventures in the South Asian country.
However, Chinese nationals have long been in the crosshairs of militants, particularly Baloch separatists, who believe Beijing is helping Pakistan exploit minerals in the underdeveloped southwestern province of Balochistan, where China has a strategic port and mining interests.
During Friday’s meeting, Naqvi informed the Chinese ambassador that a ‘Special Protection Unit’ was being established to ensure the security of foreign nationals.
“The unit will specifically ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Islamabad,” he was quoted as saying. “Personnel of the Special Protection Unit will also be trained in the Chinese language as part of their training.”
