ISLAMABAD: The Chinese air chief has praised Pakistan’s military response during its May conflict with India as a “textbook example” of modern warfare, the Pakistan army said on Tuesday, quoting remarks that come amid renewed Indian allegations of Chinese support to Islamabad during their latest conflict in May.
Lt. Gen. Wang Gang, chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), made the comments during a high-level visit to Islamabad on Monday, where he met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and discussed regional security, airpower cooperation, and bilateral military ties.
“He praised the decisive and measured response delivered by PAF pilots under the resolute leadership of the Air Chief, describing it as a textbook example of precision, discipline and courage in the face of unprovoked aggression,” the Pakistani army said in an official statement, quoting Wang.
The Chinese general “paid rich tribute to the exemplary performance” of the PAF during the conflict with India, which took place from May 7 to 10 and involved drones, missiles, and artillery fire before a US-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities.
Wang’s remarks follow claims by Indian Army Deputy Chief Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh, who last week alleged China had provided Pakistan with “live inputs” about Indian military positions during the May fighting. Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has rejected the claim as “factually incorrect” and a “shoddy attempt” to explain India’s battlefield failures.
While Beijing has not officially responded to the Indian allegations, the Chinese delegation’s strong endorsement of PAF’s conduct has added diplomatic weight to its deepening military alignment with Islamabad.
“Lt. Gen. Wang Gang expressed deep appreciation for the high state of operational readiness and the cutting-edge capabilities of Pakistan Air Force,” the official statement said, adding that he was “particularly impressed by PAF’s seamless integration of Multi-Domain Operations, terming it a hallmark of modern air warfare.”
The visiting delegation was also given a detailed briefing on the PAF’s evolving force structure, modernization plans and strategic initiatives.
Air Chief Marshal Sidhu “reiterated that Pakistan and China enjoy historic and time-tested ties rooted in mutual trust, strategic convergence and shared aspirations for regional peace & stability,” the statement added.
Pakistan and China have long collaborated on airpower development, including co-producing the JF-17 fighter jet and holding joint training exercises. But their military alignment has grown closer in recent years, particularly amid rising tensions with India, with whom both have longstanding disputes. The latest visit reinforces that trajectory, military observers say.
“The meeting stands as a testament to the shared resolve of Pakistan and China to advance their time-tested strategic partnership through deepened cooperation and innovation-driven collaboration,” the Pakistani military said.
In an address this week, Munir said India had failed to achieve its stated military objectives in “Operation Sindoor,” New Delhi’s campaign during the May conflict.
Pakistan said it launched “Operation Bunyan Al Marsoos” in retaliation for Indian attacks on civilian and military sites. India claimed it had only targeted militant infrastructure.
Tensions between the neighbors had escalated into a brief war after an April 2025 militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed several tourists, an incident New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, which Islamabad denied.
