Srinagar, April 28 — As India and Pakistan exchanged fire for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, China urged both sides to exercise restraint and expressed support for Pakistan’s “sovereignty” and “legitimate security concerns” during a phone call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani Foreign Minister M. Ishaq Dar on April 27.
The Indian military said that Pakistani forces initiated "unprovoked small arms fire" in Kupwara and Poonch districts during the night of April 27–28.
"Indian troops responded swiftly and effectively," PRO Defence Jammu said in a statement.
The flare-up follows a deadly attack on April 22, when 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed at a scenic meadow in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
India blamed Pakistan for complicity and responded by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and expelling all Pakistani military attachés. In retaliation, Pakistan announced its intention to withdraw from bilateral agreements, including the 1972 Shimla Pact.
“China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests,” read a statement issued by the Chinese foreign ministry following the conversation between Wang Yi and Dar.
Wang, a member of the political bureau of the Chinese Communist Party’s central committee, said China was "closely following the developments."
Stressing that escalation was not in the interest of either country or the region, Wang urged both sides to "exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, and work to de-escalate the situation."
According to the Chinese foreign ministry’s account, Dar told Wang that Pakistan "opposed taking actions that may lead to escalation of the situation."
Amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions following the Kashmir attack, reports have surfaced of a Turkish cargo aircraft landing in Pakistan to deliver undisclosed weaponry on Sunday evening. This development comes as China continues its support for Pakistan, having already supplied advanced PL-15 BVR air-to-air missiles for Pakistan's JF-17 fighter jets.