China on Friday rushed to shield Pakistan from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fresh allegations by recalling “positive contributions” made by Islamabad against global terrorism.

“China appreciates the positive contribution by Pakistan to the international counter-terrorism cause, firmly supports Pakistan in cracking down terrorist forces. Attempts that aim to sabotage #CPEC are doomed to fail,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao said hours after Mr Modi claimed a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) plot in occupied Kashmir had been thwarted.

Beijing, which calls itself Pakistan’s “all-weather ally”, has in the past also defended Pakistan from Indian allegations. Besides the strategic alliance between the two countries, they are together undertaking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the multi-billion dollar infrastructure development scheme, which is also the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1591554/china-backs-pakistan-after-modis-tirade