China confirms technical support to Pakistan during last year's war with India
China has confirmed for the first time that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during last year's war with India.
The disclosure came in a state television interview with a Chinese engineer who said he worked at a support base during the conflict.
The engineer, Zhang Heng, is from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute.
He said the team was focused on providing on-site support and ensuring equipment could perform at its full combat potential.
The report also said a Chinese-made fighter shot down at least one Indian fighter during the fighting, including a French-made Rafale.
That detail adds to the significance of the confirmation because it links Chinese technical support to a battlefield outcome in the conflict.
The admission is notable because it is the first public confirmation that China directly supported Pakistan's air force during the war.
It also places China more visibly in a confrontation that involved India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbours with a long history of military tension.
According to the interview, the support base was operating in difficult conditions, with fighter jets taking off frequently and air-raid sirens sounding.
