Will China take a more hands-on approach to violence in Pakistan?

For its part, Islamabad has undertaken several initiatives to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, including the creation of a 10,000-strong special security division for the protection of Chinese nationals and assets in Pakistan. However, the intensity of attacks has only increased. Evidently, Islamabad’s measures have yielded limited results.

Owing to its long-standing principle of non-interference, Beijing has mostly relied on and pressured Islamabad’s military and civilian authorities to protect Chinese interests. In trying to keep out of direct involvement, but also ensure that its interests are protected, Beijing has primarily supported Pakistan in countering terrorism, rather than getting directly involved.