NEW DELHI: China has expressed its support for Pakistan, its "all-weather strategic cooperative partner", and advocated for an "impartial probe" into the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen on April 22.
Tired of too many ads?
In a phone call with Pakistan deputy PM Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said that the country was "closely following the evolving situation" between the two nations after the bilateral relations hit a rock bottom with India cutting off trade, treaty and border ties with its neighbour.
"China is closely following the evolving situation of the tensions between Pakistan and India following the terrorist attack in the Kashmir region, supporting the prompt initiation of an impartial investigation, hoping both sides will exercise restraint, move toward each other, and work to de-escalate tensions," Global Times cited Wang Yi saying.
"As an ironclad friend and all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan's legitimate security concerns and supports its efforts to uphold its sovereignty and security interests," Yi added.
Bilateral agreements, downgraded and broken
This comes amidst call from Pakistani minister for an "independent investigation" into the terror attack with the intervention of Russia, China and or other "Western countries".
Tired of too many ads?
US President Donald Trump, however, has implied that America had no plans to intervene calling the tensions at India-Pakistan borders "1,500 years old". "There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years. It's been the same, but I am sure they'll figure it out one way or the other. I know both leaders. There's great tension between Pakistan and India, but there always has been," he said.
China, last month, had reiterated his commitment towards strengthening bilateral ties with India with Yi categorically saying that "boundary question" shouldn't dictate trade relations. "We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question or specific differences to affect the overall picture of our bilateral ties. China believes that as the largest neighbours, both countries should be partners in each other's success," he said.
India and China completed the difficult disengagement process in Depsang and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh, effectively ending the 54-month-long military standoff in the region and marking a significant step toward normalizing bilateral relations.
Tired of too many ads?
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into the terror attack, intensifying its efforts to collect evidence and question eyewitnesses to unravel the conspiracy. Following instructions from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), the NIA registered a case in Jammu and deployed multiple teams to conduct the probe.