China Backs Pakistan On Kashmir Again As Strategic Ties Deepen During Shehbaz Visit | Exclusive

Last Updated:May 26, 2026, 13:36 IST

Top Indian intel sources said the repeated references to Kashmir under older UN resolutions “selectively ignore ground realities” after India’s abrogation of Article 370 in 2019

China and Pakistan have once again jointly raised the Kashmir issue under the United Nations framework, with Beijing reiterating its call for a “peaceful resolution" of the dispute in a joint statement issued during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing.

The statement underlined the deepening strategic alignment between the two countries across security, diplomacy, Artificial Intelligence, regional connectivity and counter-terror cooperation, while also reviving familiar language on Kashmir that India has consistently rejected.

The joint declaration said both sides supported a “peaceful settlement of disputes" in accordance with the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions. Beijing also reiterated support for Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, a move that Indian officials view as part diplomatic signalling and part strategic reassurance to Islamabad.

Top Indian intelligence sources said the repeated references to Kashmir under older UN resolutions “selectively ignore ground realities" after India’s abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. “Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. There is no special status or privilege left for external discussion after the constitutional changes," a senior source said.

Indian officials also interpret China’s language less as a policy shift and more as a geopolitical balancing act aimed at stabilising Pakistan internally amid growing threats to Chinese personnel and investments linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

According to intelligence inputs, Beijing has become increasingly concerned about repeated attacks targeting Chinese engineers and workers in cities such as Karachi and areas of Balochistan. “This is China reassuring Pakistan because Chinese nationals are being attacked repeatedly and Beijing wants its investments protected," a source said.

The joint statement placed heavy emphasis on security cooperation and “zero tolerance for terrorism", with both countries specifically warning against groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

Pakistan also pledged enhanced security measures for Chinese nationals working in the country—a longstanding Chinese demand after multiple attacks on Chinese citizens over the past few years.

The two countries additionally projected themselves as defenders of a “multipolar world order" rooted in the UN Charter, while jointly opposing what the statement described as fascism and militarism. Analysts see this as part of a broader China-led attempt to position itself as an alternative pole to Western-led global structures.

The visit also saw growing cooperation beyond traditional security issues.

Pakistan backed China’s proposal for a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, signalling Islamabad’s willingness to align itself with Beijing’s emerging global tech architecture. The two countries also agreed to expand trans-boundary water cooperation and resource management mechanisms.

China further pledged support for Pakistan’s upcoming roles at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and during its 2025-26 tenure at the UN Security Council.

Another notable element in the statement was Beijing’s praise for Islamabad’s role in facilitating US-Iran ceasefire efforts and regional peace talks, an acknowledgment that reflects Pakistan’s continuing utility in regional diplomacy despite its domestic instability.

The two sides also announced that China would host a new dialogue platform involving Pakistan and Afghanistan following recent talks in Urumqi, signalling Beijing’s growing effort to shape political and security outcomes in the region after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

Multiple bilateral cooperation agreements were signed during the visit, though detailed terms were not immediately disclosed publicly.

Indian intelligence officials, however, believe China’s outreach to Pakistan also reflects deeper anxieties inside Beijing about instability within Pakistan itself.

Sources claimed that after increasing unrest in Balochistan and frustration over security failures, sections within the Chinese establishment have quietly begun engaging more directly with local stakeholders in sensitive regions. One source described Pakistan’s military leadership as being under “extreme pressure" to reassure Beijing that the security situation remains under control.

For India, however, the core message remains unchanged: New Delhi sees Kashmir as a closed constitutional issue and views repeated China-Pakistan references to old UN formulations as diplomatically outdated, even as the broader Beijing-Islamabad strategic partnership continues to deepen across multiple fronts.

News world China Backs Pakistan On Kashmir Again As Strategic Ties Deepen During Shehbaz Visit | Exclusive

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