The Chinese military on Monday denied reports that its largest military cargo plane had supplied weapons to Pakistan. Along with this, China has also warned of legal action against those spreading such rumours.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAF) has denied that its Xi’an Y-20 military transport aircraft carried supplies to Pakistan. A report on the official website of the Chinese Defence Ministry on Monday said that a large amount of information on social media about the Y-20 delivering relief materials to Pakistan is completely false.
The report said that social media is not above the law. Those who create and spread military-related rumors will be held legally responsible.The PLAF also posted several screenshots of pictures and text sharing false information. According to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has emerged as the largest arms supplier to Pakistan, accounting for 81 per cent of the China’s all-weather ally’s arms purchases from 2020 to 2024.
The purchases included the latest jet fighters, radars, naval ships, submarines and missiles. The two countries jointly manufacture the J-17 aircraft, which is the mainstay of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).