Beijing, Jan 8: Days after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of “lies and deceit”, China on Monday said the responsibility of fighting terrorism cannot be left with one particular country. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, in a press briefing, said that linking Pakistan with terrorism will not help international community in its crackdown on terror camps. China’s comments come in the wake of the suspension of $ 2 billion aid to Pakistan by the US last week.
Responding to a question on the role of China in convincing Pakistan to take action, Kang said it does not agree with placing responsibility on one particular country. “China always opposed linking terrorism with any certain country and we don’t agree to place the responsibility of anti-terrorism on a certain country,” said Kang.
Kang added that the action on terror should be based on mutual respect and finger pointing will not help countries. “We have stressed many times that Pakistan has made important sacrifices and contributions to the global anti-terrorism cause,” Lu said.
“Countries should strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation on the basis of mutual respect instead of finger pointing at each other. This is not conducive to the global terrorism efforts,” he said.
The tensions between Pakistan and the US escalated after President Donald Trump, in new year message, said the country has only given “lies and deceit” in exchange of $ 33 billion aid in last 15 years. “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,” Trump said in a strongly worded tweet.
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump said in his first tweet of the year.
This was the strongest warning that has come from the US president. In his new South Asia Policy unveiled in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it did not cooperates the US in its fight against terrorism.