'Did not target any third party during Op Sindoor': China on allegations of backing Pakistan, targeting India

Mao Ning said India-China relations are in a 'critical moment of improvement and development'.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that during Operation Sindoor China’s defence and security cooperation with its "close neighbour" Pakistan was normal. However, Beijing denied targeting any "third party” during India’s offensive against Pakistan as an aftermath to the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

"I am not familiar with the specifics you mentioned. Let me say that China and Pakistan are close neighbours enjoying traditional friendship. Defence and security cooperation is part of the normal cooperation between the two countries and does not target any third party," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a media briefing while responding to a question on Indian Army's Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul R Singh's remarks.

When asked about  China's active support in providing live inputs to Pakistan, Mao said, "I am not sure how that allegation came about. Different people may have different perspectives. What I can say is, China-Pakistan relations do not target any third party. This is China's policy. On India-Pakistan relations, we support the two sides in properly addressing differences through dialogue and consultation and jointly keeping the region peaceful and stable," she said as quoted by NDTV.

However, in 1965, 1971 and Kargil in 1999, China stayed in the background, offering diplomatic lines and token backup.

Aaccusing China of complicity in Pakistani military strikes against India in the wake of Operation Sindoor,  Singh recently said that Beijing provided “live inputs” to Pakistan on Indian operational deployment even when talks were underway between the Indian and Pakistani Directors General of Military Operations regarding cessation of hostilities.

Naming Pakistan, China and Turkey as the “three adversaries” India faced on its “one border” in the north, Lt Gen Singh said China was providing “all possible support”, treating the northern border as a “live lab” to test its weapons supplied to Pakistan.

However, Mao Ning declined to comment  on a question about reports from Paris stating that China has deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets following the India-Pakistan conflict. She also said India and China relations are in a "critical moment of improvement and development".  "Indeed, the China-India relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development. We stand ready to work with India to move bilateral relations forward on a sound and steady track," she said.

What does Pakistan say?

However, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Muni refused to accept India's allegation that Islamabad received external support during the four-day conflict.

In an address to the graduating officers at the National Defence University Islamabad, Munir reiterated that any misadventure or attempt to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty will be met with a swift, and resolute response.

According to PTI, he also said insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence.

“In contrast to India's strategic behaviour resting on parochial self-alignment, Pakistan has forged lasting partnerships based on principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace,” Munir said.