Pakistan and China are still working on security plans to protect Chinese citizens in Pakistan, according to Islamabad's ambassador to Beijing on Wednesday. 

Chinese workers in Pakistan have been targeted by separatist militants who claim that China is helping Pakistan exploit the natural resources of Balochistan. This province, which is underdeveloped, is home to important Chinese projects, including a strategic port and mining operations. Ambassador Khalil Hashmi told reporters on the fringes of the Boao Forum in China's Hainan province that it is Pakistan’s ‘national responsibility’ and that the ‘nation is doing everything possible.’ 

"I think our two countries work very closely in terms of information sharing, in terms of developing the standard operating procedures" to ensure Chinese nationals working in Pakistan are safe, he said. "We keep our Chinese friends informed of the steps that we are taking, so it's a work in progress." Frustrated by the spate of attacks on its residents, Beijing has been pressuring Pakistan to permit its own security personnel to protect thousands of Chinese workers there. 

The effort began after a bombing at Karachi airport last October killed two Chinese engineers who were returning to work at a power plant. Hashmi mentioned that discussions are still in progress, and both countries share a strong level of trust. "It's a complex security environment," he said, "We have the capability to resolve, to counter and combat and defeat these terrorist forces."