The Chinese Foreign Ministry has apparently played down the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) decision this week to place Pakistan on a “grey list” of countries who pose a risk to the international financial system because they need to do much more to prevent terror financing and money laundering.
China has chosen to differ with the FATF, saying that the international community needs to give Pakistan full recognition and show trust as far as its “great efforts and sacrifices made” in the fight against terrorism.
The 37-member FATF had said last week that Islamabad’s financial system will be designated as posing a risk to the international financial system because of “strategic deficiencies” in its ability to prevent terror financing and money laundering.
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“Pakistan’s efforts in combating terrorism have won not only China but also many countries in the international community,” the Pakistani media quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lu Kang, who was responding to a question on the FATF listing of Pakistan during his regular briefing of the media yesterday.
Kang was further quoted, as saying, “We have always believed that the great efforts and sacrifices made by the Pakistani government and people for the fight against terrorism are obvious to all. The international community must give full recognition and trust.”
Beijing maintained that Islamabad has been very active in taking all measures to strengthen financial supervision and to crack down on terrorist financing.
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He also said, “China hopes that all parties will treat Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts objectively and impartially, instead of relying on criticism and pressure.”
He described Beijing and Islamabad as “all-weather strategic partners”, and added that the former is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with the latter in anti-terrorism efforts.
Kang declined to comment on another specific question linked to the FATF and emphasized that Beijing believes that Islamabad has made tremendous efforts and sacrifices for international anti-terrorism cooperation under very difficult conditions.