At least one Chinese national was wounded in a gun attack in Karachi, Pakistan's southern megacity, on Wednesday, authorities said, in the country's latest assault on Chinese people.
Two masked gunmen riding a motorcycle fired at a car carrying two Chinese nationals who were working at a nearby factory in the city, according to local police.
During the incident, one of the passengers received an arm injury.
Javed Akbar Riaz, the police chief of Karachi's southern division, told AFP, "He is stable because he was not hit on any vital part of his body."
Zhao Lijian, a spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry, verified the event.
“China is closely monitoring this situation, and the relevant case is still being investigated,” Zhao said.
“This is a one-time occurrence. He went on to say, "We are fully confident that the Pakistani side will ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and assets in Pakistan."
The incident comes only weeks after nine Chinese nationals were slain in northwest Pakistan when a blast targeted their bus, which was taking a team of engineers, surveyors, and mechanical workers to a nearby dam site.
Pakistan has long been concerned about the safety of Chinese employees. They are stationed in the country in large numbers to monitor and build infrastructure projects.
Pakistani officials have continued to provide only cryptic facts regarding the nature of the dam workers' attack.
Beijing, on the other hand, has become increasingly vocal over the incident, with a recent story in Chinese state media claiming the attack was carried out by Uyghur terrorists or the Pakistani Taliban.
The incident has not been linked to any specific organization.
China has poured billions of dollars into Pakistan's infrastructure in recent years, making Islamabad Beijing's closest regional friend.
However, Chinese-funded projects have created discontent, particularly among separatist organizations, who claim that locals are not benefiting and that the majority of jobs are going to outsiders.
In April, a suicide bomber targeted a luxury hotel in southwest Balochistan province that was hosting the Chinese envoy, killing four people and injuring dozens more. The diplomat escaped with minor injuries.
