New Delhi has firmly rejected a recent claim by China that it played a mediating role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan last year, with officials describing the assertion as 'bizarre' and factually incorrect.
China's Mediation Claim at Beijing Symposium
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the surprising statement on Tuesday while addressing a symposium in Beijing titled 'The International Situation and China's Foreign Relations'. He listed several global conflicts where he claimed China had acted as a mediator.
'Following this Chinese approach to settling hotspot issues, we mediated in northern Myanmar, the Iranian nuclear issue, the tensions between Pakistan and India, the issues between Palestine and Israel, and the recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand,' Wang Yi stated. He framed this within a context of increased global turbulence since World War II.
India's Firm Rejection and the Facts of the Ceasefire
Indian officials, familiar with the developments, have categorically denied any Chinese involvement. They told the Hindustan Times that the claim was unfounded and that China played no part in bringing the military confrontation to an end.
'The claim by the Chinese side is bizarre,' one official was quoted as saying. The ceasefire agreement on May 10, 2025, was reached exclusively through discussions between senior military officials of India and Pakistan, specifically the Directorates General of Military Operations (DGMOs).
A government source reiterated India's long-standing position to India Today: 'We have already refuted such claims. On bilateral issues between India and Pakistan, there is no role for a third party. Our position has been clarified on several occasions... that the India-Pakistan ceasefire was agreed to directly between the DGMOs of the two countries.'
Background: The Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor
The tensions referenced stem from a serious incident a month prior. In April 2025, a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 civilians. India responded to this attack with Operation Sindoor in May, which involved precision strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan. This led to a four-day military conflict between the two nations.
The subsequent ceasefire was a direct result of military-to-military communication. Officials also drew a parallel to past instances, noting that India has similarly dismissed claims by former US President Donald Trump about mediating between the South Asian neighbours.
'Perhaps the Chinese side is following in the footsteps of the US,' a second person told HT, highlighting a pattern of external claims that New Delhi consistently rejects to uphold the principle of bilateral resolution.
