China’s call for restraint comes hours before India, Pakistan agree to ‘full ceasefire’

A deeply worried Beijing has urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in the interest of regional “peace and stability”, as the tit-for-tat military conflict rages on China’s doorstep.

In a statement issued on Saturday morning, the Chinese foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation and was “deeply concerned” about the escalation in fighting.

“We strongly call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means and avoid taking actions that further escalate tensions,” the statement said.

The second separate statement on the issue within a week highlighted Beijing’s concerns over a full-blown confrontation between its nuclear-armed neighbours.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed on “a full and immediate ceasefire” under American mediation, in what could deal a blow to Beijing’s peace-broker image.

India-Pakistan relations deteriorated dramatically following a militant attack two weeks ago in the disputed Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 people dead, most of them Indian tourists. India said the attack was backed by Pakistan, a claim Islamabad has firmly denied.