After India-US heat, Pak gets China support

China on Wednesday put up a strong defence of its all-weather ally Pakistan saying it was at the frontlines of the fight against terrorism, a day after India and the US asked Islamabad to rein in cross-border terror.

“China thinks that the international cooperation against terrorism should be enhanced and stepped up. The international community should give full recognition and affirmation to Pakistan’s efforts in this regard,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

His remarks came in response to the India-US joint statement issued after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

“We have to say Pakistan stands at the frontlines of the international counter terrorism fight and has been making efforts in this regard,” Mr Lu said in response to the statement in which India and the US had asked Islamabad to

China thinks that the international community should give full recognition and affirmation to Pakistan’s efforts in its fight against terrorism

— Lu Kang, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman

ensure that its soil is not used for cross-border terror.

The joint statement issued on Tuesday after Modi-Trump meeting had also called on Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks. Mr Modi and Mr Trump also vowed to strengthen efforts to fight terrorism.