China: Provided on-site tech assistance to Pak during Operation Sindoor

BEIJING: For the first time, China has confirmed it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, according to official media reports.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.

Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.

Testament to team’s deep bond: Zhang

Pakistan’s air force operates a fleet of Chinesemade J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary. At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.

What drove his team was the “desire to do an even better job with on-site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV. “That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.

Chinese foreign ministry and military officials have either parried or played down allegations of China’s support for Pakistan during the conflict. There was no official reaction to India’s deputy chief of Army staff Lt General Rahul R Singh’s assertion that Beijing provided active military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, using the conflict as a “live lab”.

The J-10CE is the export variant of the J-10C 4.5-generation fighter and is considered the most advanced model in the J-10 series.It includes an active electronically scanned array or AESA radar and is compatible with advanced Chinese weapons, including air-toair missiles.