Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said that “tensions between India and Pakistan” were among several global hotspot issues that China had “mediated” during the year. He made these remarks while speaking at the annual Symposium on the International Situation and China’s Foreign Relations held in Beijing.

Wang Yi said that the global situation in the past year had become increasingly unstable. “This year, local wars and cross-border conflicts flared up more often than at any time since the end of WWII. Geopolitical turbulence continued to spread,” he said. Explaining China’s approach, he added, “To build peace that lasts, we have taken an objective and just stance, and focused on addressing both symptoms and root causes.”

Listing the conflicts where China claimed to have played a mediating role, Wang said, “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.”

However, India has consistently rejected the idea of any third-party mediation in matters concerning India and Pakistan. New Delhi has clearly stated that the recent military standoff between the two neighbours in May was resolved through direct communication between their own military leadership.

The conflict, known as Operation Sindoor, took place between May 7 and May 10. India has maintained that the ceasefire understanding was achieved through talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries. At a press briefing on May 13, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified the issue in detail. The MEA said, “Regarding ceasefire and what sort of role other countries played, etc. See, the specific date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out between the DGMOs of the two countries at their phone call on 10th May 2025, commencing at 15:35 hours.”

India has also repeatedly stressed that there is no role for any external power in India–Pakistan matters, especially on issues related to security and military conflict.

China’s role during Operation Sindoor has been closely watched and criticised in India, particularly due to Beijing’s military support to Pakistan. During the conflict, China called on both India and Pakistan to show restraint. On May 7, the first day of the operation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted to India’s airstrikes.

“China finds India’s military operation early this morning regrettable,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said. At the same time, China issued a broader statement on terrorism and regional peace. “China opposes all forms of terrorism,” the statement said, in what appeared to be a reference to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The statement also urged both sides to exercise restraint in the interest of peace and stability.

Despite these statements, China’s active military assistance to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor became a major point of concern for India. Beijing’s close defence ties with Islamabad were seen as negatively affecting China’s relationship with New Delhi.

China is Pakistan’s largest defence supplier, with Chinese arms exports accounting for more than 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware. During and after the conflict, this support came under sharper focus. India’s Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Rahul R. Singh, openly criticised China’s role.

Lt Gen Singh said that China had treated the conflict as a testing ground. He asserted that Beijing used the situation as a “live lab.” He further explained that China’s strategy during Operation Sindoor followed its ancient military thinking. According to him, China relied on the idea of the “36 stratagems” and the concept of harming an adversary by using a “borrowed knife,” suggesting indirect involvement through Pakistan.

China, however, sought to downplay these remarks. Beijing declined to directly respond to Lt Gen Singh’s assertion and avoided addressing the charge that it had used the conflict to test military strategies and equipment.

Despite these tensions, Wang Yi also spoke about what he described as improving relations between China and India. In his speech, he referred to diplomatic engagements between the two countries during the year. He mentioned China’s invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held in Tianjin in August.

“Also, this year, we invited the leaders of India and the DPRK to China. China-India relations showed a good momentum, and the traditional friendship with the DPRK was cemented and further promoted,” Wang said. He added that the SCO summit was “a resounding success.”

Speaking more broadly about China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, Wang said, “China’s engagement with neighbouring countries entered a new stage of building a community with a shared future at a faster pace.”

Wang Yi also spoke about China’s role in global groupings like BRICS. He said, “The 20-member BRICS family grew more prosperous. And BRICS cooperation was ever more robust under the expanded format.”

On the global economic situation, Wang criticised rising protectionism and trade barriers. “This year, economic globalisation met serious setbacks. The tariff war dealt a blow to international trade rules and disrupted the global economic order. The choice between openness and isolation became imperative,” he said. These remarks were seen as an indirect reference to US President Donald Trump’s unilateral tariffs against China and other countries.

Wang described China–US relations as critically important. “He said the China-US relationship is one of the most consequential bilateral relationships in today’s world.” Stressing its global impact, he added, “The strategic choices of the two countries will shape the course of world history.”

He also spoke about China’s firm stance on its core interests. “On major issues of principle, we maintained firm and unequivocal positions. On issues concerning China’s core interests, we responded with strength and held our ground,” Wang said.

At the same time, he highlighted continued engagement with Washington. “At the same time, we engaged and talked with the US to seek cooperation, foster a more rational, objective view of China, and address differences through consultation and dialogue,” he said.

Referring to interactions between the top leaders of the two countries, Wang said, “Both Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with their frequent interactions, have guided the giant ship of China-US relations through troubled waters and steered it in the right direction.”

He concluded by underlining the principles that should guide ties between Beijing and Washington. “China and the US must seek solutions to their respective concerns based on equality, mutual respect and reciprocity, and find the right way for the two major countries to get along with each other.”