On Tuesday, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi stated that Beijing had helped mediate several international matters this year, including tensions between India and Pakistan. Those familiar with the situation, however, dismissed the assertion as unusual, saying that China had no involvement in the ceasefire and played no mediating role.
Fighting between India and Pakistan escalated sharply in May, weeks after a terrorist attack in the Pahalgam valley of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking what it described as terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Against this backdrop, China has claimed a role in easing tensions between the two neighbours. Speaking in Beijing at the “Symposium on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations,” Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said Beijing had stepped in to help manage multiple global flashpoints this year. He argued that armed conflicts and cross border crises were occurring at a scale not seen since the end of World War II, adding that China had applied its diplomatic approach to issues ranging from northern Myanmar and the Iranian nuclear file to disputes involving India and Pakistan, as well as conflicts in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
China’s assertion has drawn attention because of its close defence relationship with Pakistan. Reports during the May confrontation suggested that China provided Islamabad with surveillance inputs and other forms of assistance, a point previously highlighted by Hindustan Times. Official data also shows that Chinese weapons account for more than 81 percent of Pakistan’s military inventory, and Indian officials have privately said the crisis was used by Beijing to showcase its arms capabilities.
In New Delhi, there has been no formal response to Wang Yi’s comments so far. However, people familiar with the discussions said China had no involvement in defusing the standoff. One person described the claim as bizarre, stressing that the decision to halt military action on May 10 came solely after talks between senior military commanders from India and Pakistan. They reiterated India’s long standing position that issues between the two countries do not allow for third party mediation.
Another official source suggested that Beijing’s statement echoed similar claims made by Donald Trump, who has repeatedly spoken about brokering peace between India and Pakistan. Those remarks too, the source noted, have been firmly rejected by India.
