China sends Vice Foreign Minister to Pakistan to discuss Indo-Pak tensions

After the Balakot airstrike, China, which has good diplomatic ties with Islamabad, urged India and Pakistan to 'exercise restraint' and asked New Delhi to carry out its fight against terrorism through international cooperation.

China said Wednesday that it has dispatched Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to Islamabad to discuss the Indo-Pak tensions following the Pulwama terrorist attack.

“He (Kong) is now visiting Pakistan. He is in communication with Pakistan on the India-Pakistan situation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing in Beijing.

Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir which killed 40 CRPF personnel and was claimed by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

After the suicide attack, India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. In the operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were killed.

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India launches airstrikes inside Pakistan targeting militants

India said its warplanes struck a militant training camp inside Pakistan on Tuesday, raising tensions between the neighbouring countries.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial confrontation and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India on Friday.

“His visit is designed for communication with Pakistan for the situation concerning both India and Pakistan. China has been promoting peace and stability in this region. We hope that Pakistan and India will maintain friendly relations,” Lu said.