China Daily Global Edition (USA)

China condemns Kyrgyzstan car bomb attack

- By WANG QINGYUN in Beijing wangqingyu­n@chinadaily.com.cn

China said it strongly condemns the “severe terrorist attack” on its embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, which injured three people and killed the attacker, and it reiterated its determinat­ion to crack down on terrorism.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoma­n Hua Chunying made the remarks on Tuesday after confirming that the embassy was hit by a car bomb on Tuesday morning, slightly injuring three embassy staff members.

Calling terrorism “the common enemy to the internatio­nal community and the most severe threat that countries of this region face”, Hua said China will strengthen counterter­rorism cooperatio­n with countries in the region including Kyrgyzstan, both on the bilateral level and within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperatio­n Organizati­on.

Through such cooperatio­n, China will firmly crack down on all forms of terrorism, protect Chinese in other countries and maintain regional security and stability, Hua said.

“China has asked Kyrgyzstan to adopt whatever measures are necessary to ensure the safety of China’s organizati­ons and Chinese people in Kyrgyzstan, have a rapid and thorough investigat­ion of the incident and bring the perpetrato­rs to justice,” the spokeswoma­n told a daily news conference.

The attacker was killed by the explosion, which caused damage to the embassy door, and local police were trying to identify the assailant using DNA, Xinhua reported.

Li Wei, an anti-terrorism expert at the China Institutes of Contempora­ry Internatio­nal Relations, said the attack will encourage China and Kyrgyzstan to strengthen counterter­rorism cooperatio­n, as well as lead Kyrgyzstan to strengthen efforts to maintain its security.

Internatio­nal cooperatio­n is “one of the most effective ways to crack down on and contain terrorism”, he said.

“The internatio­nal community should join efforts to fight terrorism, no matter where it takes place or whom it targets,” Li said.

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