China calls on India, Pakistan to exercise restraint

China on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint in the "larger interest of peace and stability" of the region and said it will play a "constructive role" in easing the tensions by working with the international community.

"We are concerned about the ongoing situation," China's Foreign Ministry said after Indian armed forces early on Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.

"India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbours. They are both China's neighbours as well," it said.

"China opposes all forms of terrorism," it said, in an apparent reference to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people.

"We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," the statement said.

"China finds India's military operation early this morning regrettable," it added.

Elaborating Beijing's stand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian later said China "stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions”.

Asked about India's assertion that it targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, Lin said, "we also noted that both India and Pakistan have said that they don't hope to see escalation of the situation".

"We hope that India and Pakistan will remain calm, exercise restraint, work in the same direction and properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation," he said. "China will continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions."