'Pakistan does not have China's support now, there is a reason why it has not taken pro-Pakistan stand'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Member of Parliament Dr. Shashi Tharoor has stated that China has not taken a pro-Pakistan position amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. He stated that China's current neutrality is based on the present geopolitical context.

Tharoor noted that China is increasingly aware of its warming ties with India and values access to the Indian market, particularly in the context of heightened U.S. tariffs during the Trump era.

"Had a full-scale war broken out, China might have leaned toward Pakistan," he said. "But in the current circumstances, it appears committed to playing a constructive role in averting such a conflict."

Speaking on the global response following the Pahalgam terror attack, Tharoor said that most countries have urged restraint. “No nation wants to see a war between two nuclear-armed states. The international call for calm is therefore quite expected,” he remarked.

He pointed out that only a few countries—specifically Russia, France, and Israel—have explicitly recognised a nation’s right to self-defence in the face of terrorism. Recalling the U.S. reaction to the 2001 World Trade Centre attacks, Tharoor said America had then taken decisive military action in Afghanistan and should now similarly take a firm stand against terrorism.