China admits helping Pakistan's air force during confrontation with India

China, for the first time, has confirmed that its personnel were present in Pakistan to provide technical support during last year’s brief military confrontation with India. The acknowledgement emerged through Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, where an engineer associated with a Chinese state-owned aerospace company described his experience of being stationed at a support base during the conflict.
According to the South China Morning Post report,  in an interview aired on Thursday by CCCTV, engineers from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) described their direct involvement in supporting Pakistani operations. The admission marks the first official acknowledgement from Beijing of Chinese personnel playing a role in the India-Pakistan clash. Zhang Heng, an engineer from AVIC's Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, was one of those who provided technical support to Pakistan during the conflict, the report stated. The institute is a key developer of China's advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.  
His account suggested that the role extended beyond remote coordination and involved real-time technical support on the ground. “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.
He added that the team remained motivated by 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”. “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.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 last year, which claimed 26 lives. India responded with Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian response resulted in the deaths of over 100 terrorists associated with groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.