China, Pakistan and the Geopolitics of Terror

By selectively engaging in the counter-terrorism discourse — criticizing India's actions in Kashmir while downplaying Pakistani shortcomings — China subtly reveals its strategic bias

- B.R. DEEPAK

The 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir—one of India's key tourist destinations—has once again heightened regional tensions and renewed concerns over the deepening security crisis in the region. India directly blamed the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy, The Resistance Front, for orchestrating the attack. Although the group initially claimed responsibility, it later denied involvement. China's response, though publicly restrained, is influenced by its complex strategic calculus—balancing concerns over terrorism in restive Xinjiang, protecting its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments in Pakistan, and maintaining its long-standing alignment with Islamabad to counterbalance India's rise. China views terrorism in South Asia through a multi-layered lens, simultaneously wary of threats to its interests in Pakistan while tacitly shielding Pakistan-sponsored groups targeting India as part of its broader geopolitical strategy.

On 23 April, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that China "strongly condemns" (强烈谴责) the Pahalgam terrorist attack. However, just four days later, during a phone call with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on 27 April, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed Beijing's unwavering support for its "ironclad, all-weather friend." He pledged three key assurances: China supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national security, backs its counter-terrorism efforts, and calls for a prompt and impartial investigation into the incident.