Foreign Minister Khar urges anti-terrorism efforts with China

BEIJING: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar urged China Wednesday to step up joint anti-terrorism efforts, weeks after Beijing blamed terrorists trained in Pakistan for violence in its west.

In a press conference, Khar denied any official Pakistani involvement in the early August attacks that shook China's ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar, leaving 21 people dead, including eight described by authorities as suspected terrorists.

"Terrorism today knows no borders... the statement vis-a-vis Pakistan involvement of any sort was misconstrued," Khar told reporters.

"We respond to that by increasing cooperation. Pakistan is already cooperating. We must make this even more robust."

Khar held talks Wednesday with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and her counterpart Yang Jiechi.

During talks, Yang voiced appreciation for Pakistan's support of China's "core interests", including issues related to Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

For decades, China has worked to quell separatist and independence movements in the three regions.

Yang further said China will continue to stand by Islamabad in safeguarding Pakistan's national stability and economic development, the statement said.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011