China has urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. As a neighbour of both countries, Beijing said it welcomed any measures that would help cool tensions.
“China hopes India and Pakistan will exercise restraint as a neighbour of both countries,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday, when asked about the recent attack in Kashmir. “China welcomes all measures that will help cool down the situation,” Guo told a regular press briefing.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising sharply since the Pahalgam attack, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to punish terrorists and their backers, particularly Pakistan.
As China backs Islamabad’s call for a probe into the attack, six Turkish C-130 Hercules transport aircraft carrying military cargo have reportedly landed in Pakistan.
On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephonic conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua. Dar briefed Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on the latest tensions between Pakistan and India.
Wang stressed that China was closely following developments, stating, “Combating terrorism is a shared responsibility of the entire world,” while reaffirming Beijing’s “consistent support for Pakistan’s firm counterterrorism efforts,” it added. “As an ironclad friend and an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests,” Wang was quoted as saying.
He further said, “China advocates for a swift and fair investigation and believes that conflict does not serve the fundamental interests of either India or Pakistan, nor does it benefit regional peace and stability.” China hopes both sides will “remain restrained, move toward each other, and work together to de-escalate the situation,” he added.
China had earlier condemned the Pahalgam terror attack. On April 23, Guo Jiakun said, “We strongly condemn the attack. China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism. We mourn for the lives lost and express sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.”
Separately, China’s Ambassador to India Xu Feihong also expressed his condolences in a post on X. “Shocked by the attack in Pahalgam and condemn (it),” he wrote. “Deep condolences for the victims and sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families. Oppose terrorism of all forms.”
