China's strategic red line: unwavering support for Pakistan
'China and Pakistan are all-weather ironclad allies. No one should second-guess this alliance between China and Pakistan. China will always come to Pakistan's help and assistance whenever Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity will be threatened by any country.'
This was not a diplomatic flourish. Delivered on an Indian television in the presence of strategic commentators, Gao's statement was a decisive strategic message, one that carries weight not only because of his current position, but also due to his proximity to China's policymaking elite. His language left no ambiguity: the 'any country' referred to could be India, the United States, or any other actor contemplating actions against Pakistan's sovereignty.
Gao's declaration came amidst heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in India, which killed several civilians. China, rather than blindly supporting any narrative, called for a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation, aligning itself with Pakistan's diplomatic stance. Gao reiterated this position:
'We need to call for impartial and complete and thorough investigation into the background of this attack, before any country should seize this opportunity to use this attack as the trigger for escalation of tensions, or even conflict between India and Pakistan.'
He cautioned against unilateral action based on conjecture or politicized assumptions:
'When you talk about terrorist attacks, you may know inside Pakistan, there have been terrorist attacks against Chinese nationals. We actually lost quite a few Chinese nationals inside Pakistan. But we always called for a thorough investigation into what exactly is happening behind the scenes—who was pulling the trigger, who was committing all these atrocities.'
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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