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There was no immediate response from Indian officials to the comments by the Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. (Reuters)
China has expressed willingness to support an impartial investigation into the Pahalgam terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes after Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested that Russia and China join the investigation in a recent interview.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that China welcomes all initiatives that are conducive to the de-escalation of the current situation and supports carrying out an impartial investigation as soon as possible, Global Times reported.
As a common neighbour of India and Pakistan, China hopes that both India and Pakistan will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, properly handle relevant differences through dialogue and consultation, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability, Guo said.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has urged Russia, China, and several Western countries to join forces in an international investigation team to probe the attack.
Islamabad questioned the basis on which India accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack, leading to the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, cutting off trade ties and closing borders, news agency PTI reported.
“I believe that Russia, China, or even Western countries could play a very positive role in this crisis. They could form an international investigation team to determine whether India or Modi is lying or telling the truth. Let an international team find out,” Asif said in a recent interview with the Russian government-run RIA Novosti news agency.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a phone conversation with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar said that it is “closely following” the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, calling for an “impartial investigation” to be initiated promptly.
Yi emphasised the need for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation of tensions between nations during a call. He highlighted that fighting terrorism is a collective responsibility and reaffirmed China’s support for Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts, Global Times reported.
This comes amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April. 26 people, mostly tourists from other Indian states, were shot dead in what has been described as the worst attack on civilians in the region in 25 years.
This has sparked nationwide outrage and drawn condemnation from world leaders, including China, which stated it “opposes terrorism in all its forms.”
India accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” and claimed attackers were linked to Pakistan-based militant groups. Pakistan denies involvement, calling allegations “frivolous” and warning of retaliation if India takes action.
