China Swallows Pride, Ducks Accountability Over Its Flop Missiles Used By Pakistan Targeting India That Forgot To Explode

Beijing: A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson has responded to questions about the effectiveness of Chinese-made weapons used by Pakistan during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, as well as India’s recovery of an unexploded Chinese-made air-to-air missile.

When asked for the ministry's comment on the performance of Chinese equipment in the recent conflict, and in response to remarks by Indian military officials stating that "Pakistan received support from China's air defense and satellite systems, but the performance of these systems was below average," Zhang Xiaogang, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, did not directly address concerns about the weapons’ effectiveness. Instead, he emphasized China’s hope that India and Pakistan, as neighboring countries, will act with calm and restraint to avoid further escalating tensions. 

He added that China supports peace in the region and is willing to play a “constructive role” in maintaining stability.

In response to media questions about whether India had obtained the powerful PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile during the conflict, and whether this could lead to reverse-engineering of related military technology, Zhang stated that the missile in question is an exported piece of equipment, which has been displayed at multiple domestic and international defense exhibitions.

On May 10, Pakistan and India announced that they had agreed on a ceasefire. The announcement followed strikes under “Operation Sindoor,” conducted from May 7 to 10, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes came in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.

During Pakistan's attempted counterattacks on May 8, 9, and 10, remnants of Chinese-made weapon systems were recovered, raising questions about their effectiveness.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China supplied 81% of Pakistan's total arms imports between 2020 and 2024. These included advanced fighter jets, naval vessels, submarines, and missile systems. China and Pakistan also co-produce the JF-17 fighter jet, which is the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force.

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