China denounces US report on New Delhi-Bejing ties and Arunachal Pradesh border situation

China has strongly rejected a Pentagon report that accused Beijing of using reduced border tensions with India to weaken US-India ties while strengthening defence cooperation with Pakistan, calling it an attempt to create discord through false narratives.

China firmly opposes the report, he said.

Separately, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also criticised the Pentagon report, which pointed to growing cooperation between China and Pakistan in areas such as defence and space, and suggested plans to establish a military base.

The US issues such reports every year, Zhang said at a separate media briefing, accusing Washington of grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs.

He said the report maliciously misinterpreted China’s national defence policy and made baseless assumptions about its military development, while slandering the normal activities of the Chinese armed forces. Zhang declined to directly address claims about China’s expanding defence cooperation with Pakistan.

The report, he added, reflects erroneous views of China and strong geopolitical bias, exaggerating what it calls a "Chinese military threat" in order to mislead the international community.

"We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this," Zhang said, urging the US to stop fabricating false narratives and provoking confrontation and antagonism.

China affirms strong ties with India

Responding to references in the report on India China relations, Lin said Beijing approaches its ties with New Delhi from a strategic and long term perspective.

“We stand ready to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and properly handle differences with India, and advance a sound and stable bilateral relationship,” he said.

On remarks related to the Line of Actual Control, Lin said “the boundary question is a matter between China and India, and the current border situation between the two countries is generally stable with smooth communication channels”.

“China opposes relevant country’s groundless and irresponsible comments,” he added.

What the US defence report said about India-China

In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday titled Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2025, the US Department of War said China is likely seeking to capitalise on easing tensions along the Line of Actual Control with India to stabilise bilateral ties and prevent closer US-India relations.

The report referred to a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in October 2024.

It noted that an agreement to disengage from the remaining standoff sites along the LAC was reached two days before the meeting.

According to the report, the Xi-Modi interaction marked the beginning of monthly high-level engagements, during which the two sides discussed border management and future steps in the relationship, including direct flights, visa facilitation, and exchanges of academics and journalists.

"China's leadership has extended the term 'core interest' to cover Taiwan and China's sovereignty claims amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands, and the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh," the report said.

It also highlighted cooperation between China and Pakistan in areas such as defence and space, adding that Beijing “likely also considered” establishing a base in Pakistan.

The report said China is actively examining and planning additional military facilities, and that Pakistan is among the countries where China has likely considered setting up a base.