BEIJING – Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred toPakistan as a “terror export factory”, China came to its all-weatherfriend’s support, urging the international community to back the country inits counterterrorism efforts.

“We hope that the international community will lend active support toPakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and continue to work with Pakistan toconduct effective cooperation in fighting terrorism,” China’s foreignministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during her regular media briefingon Friday.

“Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community, which callsfor stronger cooperation through concerted efforts by all parties,” sheadded when asked about her comment on Modi’s ‘export factory of terrorism’remarks on Pakistan.

Addressing an event in London earlier this week, the Indian premier hadreportedly said, “We will not tolerate those who like to export terror. Wewill give back strong answers and in the language they understand.Terrorism will never be accepted.

“When someone has put a terror export factory in place, attacks my people,has no power to fight a war so attempts to attack behind the back… in sucha case Modi knows how give a reply in the same language,” he was quoted assaying by *The Times of Indialink>*.

Commenting on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’meeting scheduled for Monday in Beijing, Chunying said, “It is the purposeof the SCO to uphold regional security and stability and promote the commondevelopment and prosperity of its member states. Since its inception, theSCO has always taken security as a priority for cooperation.”

She said Monday’s meeting will be an occasion to exchange views onacross-the-board cooperation and major international and regional issues.

“We hope and believe that all parties will take this meeting as anopportunity to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, consolidate goodneighbourliness, solidarity and mutual trust and build up cooperationconsensus with a view to promoting new progress of the SCO.”