BackChina calls for restraint after IAF air strikes on Pakistan
China asks India to carry out its fight against terrorism through international cooperation, hours after the IAF strikesChina hopes India and Pakistan can exercise restraint and do more to improve their bilateral relations
PremiumBeijing: China on Tuesday urged India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" and asked New Delhi to carry out its fight against terrorism through international cooperation, hours after Indian Air Force's (IAF's) fighter jets struck Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM's) biggest camp in Pakistan in a pre-dawn strike.
"We have taken note of the relevant reports.... I want to say that India and Pakistan are both important countries in South Asia. A sound relationship and cooperation between the two serves the interests of both the countries and peace and stability in South Asia," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, reacting to the IAF air strikes on JeM camps in Pakistan. "We hope that both India and Pakistan can exercise restraint and do more to improve their bilateral relations," Lu said.
India bombed and destroyed JeM's biggest training camp in Pakistan early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders, officials said in New Delhi.
On India's assertion that it was a "non-military pre-emptive strikes" directed against training camps of the terrorist groups who are carrying out violent acts in India, Lu said, "fighting terrorism is a global practice". "It needs necessary international cooperation. India needs to create favourable condition internationally for the same."
According to Lu, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Muhammad Qureshi has spoken to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
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"During the phone call, Wang listened carefully to Pakistan foreign minister's notification and proposals on the issues and reaffirmed his opinion that the two sides need to advance their cooperation in the counter terrorism for peace and stability in the region," the spokesman said.
Lu's comments came ahead of Russia, India and China (RIC) foreign ministers' meeting at the Chinese city of Wuzhen on Wednesday. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is due to take part in the meeting.
The Pulwama terror attack and IAF air strikes on the JeM camps are expected to figure in her talks with Wang and Russian foreign minister Sergei Levrov. The issue of listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar in the UN 1267 committee is also expected to figure in their talks.
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