China on Thursday distanced itself from the growing hostilities between India and Pakistan, following media reports suggesting that Chinese-origin JF-17 Thunder jets were used by Pakistan in its response to India’s Operation Sindoor.
At a regular media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to a question on the reported use of JF-17 aircraft by stating, “We are not familiar with the matter.” The statement came after speculation that the jointly-developed fighter jet participated in Pakistan’s attempted countermeasures against India’s precision strikes.
The situation escalated further after Chinese state-run publication Global Times published a report claiming that three Indian jets were shot down during the operation. India firmly rejected the claim, calling it “baseless” and accused the outlet of circulating disinformation.
In a strongly worded post on X, the Indian Embassy in Beijing stated, “Dear @globaltimesnews, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation.”
India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in the early hours of Wednesday, targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The 25-minute operation involved coordinated strikes by air, naval, and ground forces, focusing on eliminating camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
While India termed the mission “measured and non-escalatory,” the operation marked a significant military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.
In response to the tensions, China called on both countries to show restraint. “China opposes all forms of terrorism,” Lin said. “We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability and avoid actions that may escalate the situation further.”