China urges dialogue as India Pakistan ceasefire holds for second day

China has called for continued restraint between Pakistan and India as a fragile ceasefire enters its second day, with Beijing acknowledging Pakistan's counter-terrorism contributions while urging both South Asian neighbors to resolve differences through diplomatic channels.

During a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed concern over the recent escalation and noted that China "supports Pakistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity" amid the ongoing tensions over Kashmir.

The current situation follows an April 22 attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, triggering a series of cross-border strikes between the nuclear-armed neighbors that threatened wider regional instability.

In his conversation with Dar, Wang stated that China "is willing to continue playing a positive role" in supporting peace efforts while encouraging Pakistan to respond to the situation "with calm and make decisions in line with its fundamental and long-term interests."

'Neighbors that cannot be moved away'

The Chinese diplomat in his separate communication with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on the same day condemned the terrorist attack while stating that "peace and stability in Asia are hard-won and deserve to be cherished."

Wang told Doval that "India and Pakistan are neighbors that cannot be moved away, and both are neighbors of China," emphasizing Beijing's position that dialogue rather than conflict serves the interests of all parties.

According to the official readout, Doval informed Wang that "war is not the choice of the Indian side" and that "both India and Pakistan will be committed to a ceasefire," though he stressed India's need to take counter-terrorism actions following the attack.

Ceasefire holding

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement welcoming international mediation efforts toward de-escalation, reiterating its position that any resolution must align with United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Kashmir.

While the ceasefire announcement was welcomed internationally, violations were quickly reported from both sides. Explosions were heard in Srinagar and Jammu hours after the announcement, and Pakistani officials in Kotli accused India of firing across the border. Both governments, however, maintain they will honor the truce agreement.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently offered to help resolve the dispute, which has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The two nations have fought three wars, including two over the Kashmir region, which both claim entirely but control only in parts.