Chinese military evades comment on performance of weapons supplied to Pakistan in conflict with India

Beijing: The Chinese military Thursday declined to comment on the performance of China-made weapons used by Pakistan in the recent conflict with India.

Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson Sr. Col. Zhang Xiaogang also played down the reports of India recovering an unexploded PL-15E, a radar-guided beyond visual range missile, stated to be the most advanced rocket of its kind produced by China.

The missile you mentioned is an export equipment and has been shown at defence exhibitions at home and abroad many times, Zhang said in his media briefing here.

India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved away, Zhang said, parrying questions about Indian official’s assertions that China provided air defence and satellite support to Pakistan in the military conflict and Chinese weapons systems performed below average.

We hope that both sides can remain calm and restrained and avoid action further complicating the situation, Zhang said, reiterating earlier assertions by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Chinese side is willing to continue the constructive role in achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire and preserve regional peace and stability, Zhang said in the first media briefing of the Chinese defence ministry after the May 7-10 military conflict between India and Pakistan.

The Chinese Defence Ministry holds media briefings once a month.

Considering the large-scale use of Chinese weapons supplies by Pakistan and the all-weather ties between the two countries, the Chinese official media showed considerable interest in India-Pakistan military confrontation.

About two weeks after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor. Pakistan attempted to attack the Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.

According to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has emerged as the largest weapons supplier to Pakistan, accounting for 81 per cent of arms procurement of China's all-weather ally from 2020 to 2024.

The procurement included the latest jet fighters, radars, naval ships, submarines and missiles. Both countries jointly manufacture J-17 aircraft, the mainstay of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).