BEIJING, May 14 (INP): A spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Geng Shuang declared that China will remain a staunch supporter of Pakistan on counter-terrorism efforts.

“We commend and thank the Pakistani security forces for safeguarding peace and stability in Gwadar and the security of Chinese personnel and institutions by taking swift measures to eliminate the terrorists.

We believe the Pakistani government and military are capable of upholding its national security and stability,” he said at a news briefing.

He added, “We express our condolences to the Pakistanis who sacrificed their lives in the attack and our sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.

As we know from the Pakistani side, so far there is no Chinese citizen among the casualties.

As we noted, Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned this attack, saying that it attempted to sabotage Pakistan's economy and prosperity. He emphasized that Pakistan will not allow these agendas to succeed.”

“As a supporter of Pakistan's national development, we will continue to back its efforts to achieve economic growth, social development and people's wellbeing,” the spokesperson added.

Commenting on Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos's statement on Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, Geng Shuang said, we respect for the diversity of civilizations is an important precondition for world peace and harmony.

Dialogue between civilizations is an essential guarantee for the peaceful co-existence of countries. We believe every country has the right to choose a development path that suits its national conditions.

Countries should champion the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness between civilizations and reject the misguided and wrong belief of "clash of civilizations" or the superiority of one civilization over others. “

The spokesperson hoped that the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, scheduled to take place this week offers a platform to showcase the charms of Asian civilizations, promote exchange and mutual learning among civilizations and enhance friendship and cooperation between countries.

China stands ready to work with the international community, Greece included, to engage in more dialogue and cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness.

It is important that we overcome cultural misunderstanding, clash and supremacy through exchanges, mutual learning and coexistence.

By so doing, we will be able to find solutions to modern problems in ancient civilizations and shoulder our due responsibilities to advancing world peace and development and building a community with a shared future for mankind."

INP/J/AK