Beijing: China makes no bones about being Pakistan’s trusted ally.
As Pakistan’s deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Beijing for key talks, China vowed to play a constructive role towards the maintenance of a “lasting ceasefire” understanding between India and Pakistan.
The two neighbours agreed to a halt all military actions on May 10.
At a media briefing in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reaffirmed that China and Pakistan are ‘all-weather strategic cooperative partners’, calling Dar’s visit of ‘high importance’.
“China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners… This upcoming visit of Dar reflects the high importance the Pakistani government attaches to the development of China-Pakistan relations,” PTI quoted Ning as saying.
Asked about the India-Pakistan situation following Operation Sindoor and the four-day military conflict, Ning said, “China has stated its position on multiple occasions. We are willing to maintain communication with both sides and play a constructive role in realising a full and lasting ceasefire and maintaining regional peace and stability.”
Ning said that India and Pakistan are its important neighbours and China attaches high importance to its relations with both countries.
“China is committed to fostering an amicable, secure and prosperous neighbourhood, the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the vision of a shared future in developing relations with all neighbouring countries,” the spokesperson stated.
Ning said China followed an objective and just position since tensions started escalating between India and Pakistan, and urged both two countries to exercise calm and restraint.
“We support and welcome the realisation of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and stand ready to continue to play a constructive role for securing a full and lasting ceasefire and upholding regional peace and stability,” she said.
Did China provide support to Pak during conflict?
The Chinese official, however, avoided questions on whether China had provided air-defence and satellite support to Pakistan in launching missile and drone strikes on several Indian cities as a retaliation to Operation Sindoor, which targeted several terror sites in Pakistan and PoK.
Ning said that the question should be directed to competent Chinese authorities.
Ning offered a similar answer when asked whether the replenishment of Chinese weapons system would be discussed during Dar’s visit.
Chinese air force earlier denied reports that it had sent weapon supplies to Pakistan in a cargo plane.
During his three-day visit to China, the first by a leading Pakistani official after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and ‘Operation Sindoor’, Dar will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
