China calls for urgent measures to protect nationals after Kabul blast

China expressed condolences on Tuesday over an explosion in Kabul that killed one Chinese citizen and wounded five others, and urged the Taliban authorities to take stronger measures to protect Chinese nationals and interests.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular briefing in Beijing that China had made emergency representations to the Taliban, calling for all efforts to be made to treat the injured.

Guo said China had asked the Taliban authorities to take further effective steps to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions, conduct a thorough investigation into the blast and bring those responsible to justice.

“China has lodged an urgent representation with the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the wounded, take further effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Afghanistan, promptly ascertain the truth and punish the perpetrators, and that the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan has visited the hospital where the injured are being treated to convey condolences,” said Guo.

The comments followed an explosion on Monday afternoon in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw area, where Taliban said seven people were killed, including one Chinese national, and several others wounded.

Taliban police spokesman Khalid Zadran said the blast occurred at Chinese Noodle restaurant and that the nature of the explosion had not yet been determined. An investigation is under way, he said.

The international medical charity EMERGENCY said it received 20 casualties at its Surgical Centre in Kabul following the blast, including seven people who were dead on arrival.