Pahalgam attack: After US designates Lashkar proxy TRF a terror outfit, China takes a cautious approach

China has issued a cautious response following the United States' decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and the perpetrator of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In its statement, Beijing called for greater regional cooperation to counter terrorism and ensure stability.

What China said

Addressing the media on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22.” He added, “China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability.”

US designates TRF as a terrorist group

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department had officially designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The designation marks a significant move in international recognition of TRF’s involvement in cross-border terror activities.

UNSC reaction and China's role

The US decision is likely to echo within the United Nations Security Council, particularly in the 1267 Committee, a key counterterrorism body that sanctions terrorist entities. However, despite a strong UNSC statement condemning the Pahalgam attack on April 25, specific references to TRF and LeT were reportedly omitted after objections from China and Pakistan.

Several Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and individuals, including LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Hafiz Saeed, and Masood Azhar, are already sanctioned under the UNSC’s 1267 regime, which enforces asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes.

TRF's shifting stance and India’s response

TRF initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, but later retracted the claim amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Indian authorities have consistently maintained that TRF is a proxy of LeT and used to obscure Pakistan’s hand in cross-border terrorism.

Operation Sindoor

In retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The military action lasted four days and included drone and missile strikes. Both nations agreed to de-escalate on May 10, reaching an understanding to end the conflict following military-level talks between India and Pakistan.