NEW DELHI: Beijing on Thursday reacted to the claims by Pakistan that it used Chinese fighter jets against India during Operation Sindoor. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that they were “not familiar with the matter”, Reuters reported.Additionally, it has called upon India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and categorically condemned “all forms of terrorism”.“China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint, and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation,” Jian said.“We hope India and Pakistan will remain calm, exercise restraint, work in the same direction, and handle differences properly through dialogue and consultation,” he added.India has, however, rejected Pakistan’s claims that it had shot down Rafael fighter jets terming it a propaganda and fake news. “An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing Operation Sindoor,” Press Information Bureau said.China has expressed support for Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and the two nations have stepped up diplomatic contacts during the past few days. Chinese ambassador Jiang Zaidong held a meeting with Pakistan’s deputy PM and foreign minister Ishaq Dar to discuss the escalating tensions with India.According to a press release issued by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, Dar informed Chinese ambassador Jiang Zaidong during their meeting about India’s airstrikes on targets inside Pakistani territory and detailed Pakistan’s subsequent response.Zaidong has also met with Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari amid rising tensions in the region. Earlier, on April 27, Dar spoke with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, briefing him on the situation. Wang said that China is closely monitoring the developments, emphasized the global responsibility to combat terrorism, and called for an impartial investigation. He affirmed that the conflict undermined the interests of both India and Pakistan and regional stability.Operation Sindoor comes in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack which killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen. Indian Armed Forces have claimed that they targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan during the midnight operation. Additionally, they have also said that they destoryed Lahore air defence after it launched missiles and drones in Northern and Western regions. Pakistan’s retaliation the border areas has led to the death of 16 civilians since Wednesday night.
