Security concerns

The Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in the Mianwaki district, Punjab province, was built by Chinese and Pakistani engineers. [Provided for China Daily]

One was saved but the other was killed in rescue efforts. It took two years before work continued on the project.

Xiong said Pakistan sent helicopters to escort him to the construction site in 2006 and also dispatched armed security guards to protect the Chinese staff.

"The security measures would not have worked if there wasn't a firm friendship between the two nations," said Xiong, who left Pakistan in 2011.

Li Shaotong, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, recently urged Chinese businesses to "ensure safety measures and take precautions" in the country. Li added that security uncertainties remain even after the Pakistani elections in May.

The searing hot weather also poses another challenge for Chinese projects in the country.

Wang Xiaojun, an engineer at China Nuclear Industry No 5 Construction Co, said temperatures reach above 35 C "for several months a year" at the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in north Pakistan, which China Nuclear recently helped build.

Having enough manpower was another obstacle. Many Pakistani workers, Wang said, lacked the technical training needed for the project.

"We only had 200 Chinese workers there and we hired more than 1,400 local people," Xiong said.

Chinese people doing business in Pakistan should respect the local religious and social customs and strengthen their sense of social responsibility, Li Shaotong said.

Liu Xiaoxue, a researcher on South Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Chinese companies and contractors benefit from employing local people in Pakistan.