'Missile you mentioned...': China ducks questions on weapons used by Pakistan against India

China’s Defence Ministry refrains from commenting on the performance of Chinese weapons used by Pakistan in recent India conflict, urging restraint and peace.

Fully intact Chinese PL-15 missile recovered from Hoshiarpur

Image Credit: Our own

In the aftermath of Pakistan’s humiliating military failures against India, the Chinese Defence Ministry has once again dodged responsibility for the poor performance of China-made weapons supplied to Islamabad.

Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang on Thursday refused to address the growing evidence that China’s advanced PL-15E missile — touted as one of the most sophisticated beyond visual range missiles — was captured unexploded by Indian forces. Instead of owning up to flaws, Zhang brushed it off, saying, “The missile you mentioned is an export equipment and has been shown at defence exhibitions at home and abroad many times.”

Despite mounting Indian claims that China directly aided Pakistan with air defence and satellite support during the recent conflict, Zhang chose to remain evasive, stating, “India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved away.” This hollow remark does nothing to hide China’s deep complicity in fueling Pakistan’s aggression.

‘We hope that both sides can remain calm and restrained’

Zhang went on to plead for “calm and restraint,” a tone-deaf appeal considering Pakistan’s repeated attempts to provoke India by launching attacks on military bases from May 8 to 10 — all of which were met with strong and decisive Indian retaliation under Operation Sindoor.

The briefings come after a brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 innocent civilians were massacred by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, sparking India’s precision strikes deep into terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

China’s role as Pakistan’s biggest arms supplier is no secret. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China accounts for a staggering 81 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2020 and 2024. This military hardware — from jet fighters and radars to submarines and missiles — fuels Pakistan’s hostile ambitions against India.

Moreover, the joint manufacturing of the J-17 aircraft, which forms the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force, is a glaring example of China’s direct involvement in strengthening Pakistan’s military aggression.

As India successfully counters Pakistan’s provocation, it is clear that Beijing’s support only emboldens Islamabad’s reckless military adventurism. The Chinese Defence Ministry’s silence and evasiveness speak volumes about the unreliability of its weapon systems and the dangerous alliance threatening regional peace.