China condemns Pahalgam attack which left 26 dead and many others injured: ‘Resolutely oppose all forms of…’

China on Wednesday reacted to the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the East Asian country has taken note of relevant reports and strongly condemns the brutal terror attack.

“We resolutely oppose all forms of terrorism, extend our condolences to the victims, and express sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured,” Global Times quoted Guo Jiakun as saying. He made these remarks in response to a question about the major terrorist attack in Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The brutal terror attack that occurred at the popular tourist spot of Pahalgam on April 22 is one of the worst terrorist attacks in the state after the Pulwama strike that took place six years ago, in 2019. The victims of gunfire in Baisaran valley meadows included women and elderly people. The tragic incident took place in a civilian area, which has shocked the nation ahead of the upcoming peak tourist and pilgrimage season.

US-China tariff war update

On the same day, Guo Jiakun charged the US for continuing to exert “extreme pressure” even as it tried to reach an agreement amid the tariff war. In response to a query about trade agreement negotiations with the US, he alleged that it was not the right way to deal with China. 

Guo Jiakun highlighted China's clear stance on the US-initiated tariff war, “We don't want a trade war, but we are not afraid of it. If the US truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop threatening and blackmailing, and engage in dialogue with China based on equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit.”

China's spokesperson emphasised the need for mutual respect in trade negotiations with the US and criticised its coercive tactics. The Chinese foreign ministry said that the US should stop making threats and resorting to coercion if it wants to make a deal on President Donald Trump's remarks about potentially lower tariffs on China.