China on Monday reiterated that terrorism is a common enemy of mankind and called for global cooperation to jointly defend world peace and stability, after revealing more details on the probe of the terror attack that killed nine Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks in response to media's questions on the progress of the investigation into the attack. 

Last Wednesday, a bus carrying Chinese workers was hit by a blast in the Upper Kohistan district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis. So far, no groups have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zhao reiterated China's close attention to the terror attack, and said a Chinese working group is investigating the deadly blast with the Pakistani side. Arriving on Friday, the task force had visited injured Chinese nationals in the hospital and conducted on-site investigations.

He praised the full support and timely efforts made by the Pakistani side, saying that all of the 27 injured Chinese nationals are receiving the best treatment.

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Expressing confidence that experts of the two countries will find out the truth and bring the perpetrators of the terror attack to justice, the spokesperson also reaffirmed China's support to the Pakistani side in its efforts to fight against terrorism.

In response to recent analysis on the bus attack, which associated the terror attack with April's hotel bomb blast plotted by the Pakistani Taliban, Zhao said it seems to confuse the Pakistani Taliban with the Afghan Taliban. The former is a terrorist organization recognized by both the Pakistani government and international community, while the latter claims to be a political and militant group, noted Zhao.

According to Zhao, the Afghan Taliban has publicly prohibited any individuals or organizations from threatening other countries using the territory of Afghanistan. It also maintains close contact with the Afghan government and the international community, added Zhao.

Stressing that terrorism is a common enemy of mankind, Zhao said that China is ready to strengthen its counter-terrorism cooperation with the international community to jointly defend world peace and stability.

(Cover: Pakistani people stand on the site where a bus carrying Chinese workers was hit by a blast in the Upper Kohistan district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, July 14, 2021. /Getty)