Air strike on Balakot: China hopes India, Pakistan will show restraint

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said: "India and Pakistan are both important countries in South Asia. Sound relations and cooperation serve the interest of both countries for peace and stability in South Asia."

In its first reaction to India confirming a non-military preemptive strike on a major Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan, China on Tuesday said that it hoped the two countries will maintain “restraint” and “do more to improve bilateral relations”.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said: “India and Pakistan are both important countries in South Asia. Sound relations and cooperation serve the interest of both countries for peace and stability in South Asia.” He added: “We hope the two countries can keep restraint and do more to improve bilateral relations.”

In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing held here in Beijing, Lu, responding to a question that it was a “non-military” strike, said: “Fighting terrorism is a global practice and needs necessary cooperation.”

LIVE UPDATES: IAF jets hit terror camps in Balakot

He also referred to the conversation between Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held on Monday and said the Chinese Foreign Minister had “reaffirmed his opinion” that the two sides – India and Pakistan- “need to advance cooperation on counter-terrorism for peace and stability in the region”.

54m

How will India avenge Pulwama tragedy?

On ‘RajNiti’, Siddharth Zarabi and panellists discuss the steps India could take to counter terror emanating from Pakistan.

India early Tuesday morning carried out a “non-military, preemptive action” against a major terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. The strike was conducted after the government received credible information about “another suicide terror attack” by JeM in various parts of the country.

Pakistan, on the other hand, called India’s attack an “act of aggression” and said that it had the “right to respond and self-defence.”