China backing Pak's probe demand shows its double standards: Experts

India and Pakistan continued to exchange fire across the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two countries, for the fourth consecutive day. 

In a statement on Monday, the Indian Army said that during the intervening night of April 27–28, “Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the LoC in areas opposite the Kupwara and Poonch districts.” The statement added: “Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively.” 

The two districts are located in Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 people were killed in a targeted terrorist attack in the town of Pahalgam on April 22. Hundreds have been detained for questioning in the Union Territory, according to media reports. India has linked the attack to Pakistan. 

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke to Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister M I Dar over the phone on Sunday and said China supports Pakistan’s demand for an impartial probe into the attack, in which Pakistan has denied involvement. 

“China supports the prompt initiation of an impartial investigation, emphasising that conflict serves neither the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan nor regional peace and stability,” the Chinese state newspaper Global Times wrote, citing the call.

The development comes amid a perceived improvement in relations between India and China, which had been frayed over the past five years since soldiers on both sides were killed in border clashes in the Galwan River valley. 

A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia’s Kazan last year led to discussions between the two governments on China reopening the Kailash pilgrimage to Indian tourists this summer, the pending resumption of direct flights suspended in 2020, and the issuance of more mutual visas. 

Indian foreign policy experts say China’s action now shows its “double standards”. 

While some decisions were recently taken to stabilise relations with China, its open support for Pakistan in the aftermath of this horrific attack is sending a negative signal to India, said Ashok Kantha, India’s former ambassador to China. 

Kantha said: “China claims to have a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and says it has taken measures against terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang. Did China allow an international investigation there, as demanded previously by some Western countries that alleged human rights abuse?” 

The once-restive Muslim-majority region in western China is highly policed today, and had mass-detention centres where large local populations were held, according to activists. China has denied violations. 

The phone call is China’s way of telling India and the world that China will support Pakistan morally through Indian accusations and materially in the event that India strikes Pakistan, in a military reprisal for the Pahalgam attack, said Srikanth Kondapalli, professor, China studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. 

“China needs to be sensitive to India’s concerns if it wants a meaningful relationship,” Kantha said. 

The Ministry of External Affairs had no comment to make on this.