New Delhi: In a first after Operation Sindoor, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi congratulated Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir’s promotion to Field marshal and underlined that Islamabad was and will always be a priority for China’s neighbourhood policy.
His remarks followed his meeting with visiting Pakistan Army chief in Beijing after the four day conflict between India and Pakistan that saw Chinese defence equipment and tactics in action.
Indian Army deputy chief Lt Gen Rahul Singh had earlier this month said that China provided real-time surveillance and battlefield intelligence to Pakistan.
As both sides held discussions on regional and international issues of shared concern, Munir called China Pakistan’s “ironclad brother”.
A read-out by China said, “China will, as always, take Pakistan as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, and is ready to work with Pakistan to fully implement the important common understandings reached by leaders of both countries, further deepen the all-weather strategic cooperation for the greater benefits of the two peoples, and make due contributions to peace and stability in the region”.
Meanwhile, China’s Vice-President Han Zheng met Munir Friday, describing China-Pakistan ties as an “ironclad friendship” and an “all-weather strategic cooperative partnership” rooted in mutual trust, solidarity, and a shared future.
“China is willing to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen all-weather friendship, expand all-round cooperation, and accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” Han said.
Munir, in response, said developing friendly cooperation with China enjoys broad consensus across Pakistani society. He expressed support for China’s three global initiatives—Global Development Initiative (2021), Global Security Initiative (2022), Global Civilisation Initiative (2023)—and emphasised Pakistan’s readiness to further implement the consensus between both countries’ leaders.
Under China’s broader Global Security Initiative (GSI), the two countries are also exploring collaboration in non-traditional sectors such as health, climate security and AI.
Also read: ‘1 border, 3 adversaries’: Army Deputy Chief on Op Sindoor, says Pakistan got live inputs from China
China’s military support to Pakistan
The longstanding defence partnership between China and Pakistan has evolved into a full-spectrum strategic alliance. In 2023, China pledged to work closely with Pakistan’s military to strengthen shared interests and maintain regional peace and stability.
The statement came from China’s Ministry of Defence after a meeting in Beijing between General Munir and Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission. This visit marked Munir’s first official trip to China as army chief.
Pakistan now aims to acquire 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jets. These radar-evading aircraft are expected to provide Pakistan with a qualitative edge, though affordability and logistics remain significant hurdles.
China’s diplomatic shield
At the diplomatic level, China shielded Pakistan from international censure. In the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, Beijing blocked a move to designate The Resistance Force (TRF)—a known Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot—as a terrorist organisation.
Chinese state media amplified Islamabad’s denials, even suggesting the Pahalgam attack may have been a “false flag” operation by India.
Online, China’s “Wumao” disinformation operatives collaborated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing to inflate reports of Indian casualties and highlight the performance of Chinese military systems—claims that were quickly debunked by independent observers.
Meanwhile, last week, the United States officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as both a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
China responded cautiously to the US designation and reaffirmed China’s opposition to all forms of terrorism while calling for joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Op Sindoor is the first battle in India’s two-front war. A vicious pawn in a King’s Gambit