Beijing: In a rare snub to "all-weather ally" Pakistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped a customary meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kazakh capital Astana after the murder of two Chinese teachers in Balochistan.
Mr Sharif returned from Astana after attending the SCO summit on the sidelines of which he met Presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Russia.
Conspicuously absent was a meeting with Xi.
Chinese state-run media highlighted Xi s meetings with Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Xi's unprecedented snub followed deep disappointment and grief among Chinese public over the killing of the two Chinese citizens who were kidnapped last month from Quetta in Balochistan.
The two were brutally murdered reportedly by ISIS terrorists. The news of their murders was made public ahead of the SCO summit held on June 8-9 in which India and Pakistan were admitted as members.
Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying explained that the murders were no way connected to the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which was opposed by the Baloch nationalists.
The CPEC is part of China's ambitious multi-billion Belt and Road intuitive (BRI).
"This incident will not have any necessary connection with the BRI," nor with the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, meeting being held in Astana, Hua had said.
China has deployed hundreds of Chinese workers to work for the CPEC which connects Gwadar port in Balochistan with China's Xinjiang through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Hua said Pakistan pays great attention to the protection of Chinese citizens in the institutions there and made great efforts for their security.
"As per BRI we should be prepared for risks if want to go global. Since the three years after the BRI," she had said.
Mr Sharif returned from Astana after attending the SCO summit on the sidelines of which he met Presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Russia.
Conspicuously absent was a meeting with Xi.
Xi's unprecedented snub followed deep disappointment and grief among Chinese public over the killing of the two Chinese citizens who were kidnapped last month from Quetta in Balochistan.
Advertisement
Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying explained that the murders were no way connected to the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which was opposed by the Baloch nationalists.
Advertisement
"This incident will not have any necessary connection with the BRI," nor with the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, meeting being held in Astana, Hua had said.
Advertisement
Hua said Pakistan pays great attention to the protection of Chinese citizens in the institutions there and made great efforts for their security.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"Pak Army Officers Touched Nawaz Sharif's Knees...": Son-In-Law's Big Claim Trump Says Xi Jinping Wrote Him "Beautiful Note" After Assassination Attempt Days After India Visit, Bangladesh PM In China To Hold Talks With Xi Jinping 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court UGC NET 2024 City Intimation Slips Out For August 28-September 4 Exams Sri Lanka Has 39 Presidential Candidates This Time, But No Woman Among Them Trump Reveals Why He Sounded Like He Had A Lisp During Musk Interview Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.