ISLAMABAD — 

China has pressed long-time ally Pakistan to ensure the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan and swiftly bring to justice those behind a bombing Tuesday that killed three Chinese teachers.

“The blood of the Chinese people should not be shed in vain, and those behind this incident will surely pay the price,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, without elaborating.

The deadly attack took place at the entrance to the China-run Confucius Institute in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, when a suicide bomber blew herself up near a van transporting Chinese staff.

The director of the institute was among the three Chinese teachers killed. A Pakistani driver was also killed and a Chinese teacher was injured.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao called Islamabad’s ambassador to Beijing, Moin ul Haque, to express his “extremely grave concern.”