China has welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and expressed its willingness to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the region, according Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

India accused Pakistan of backing the militants who carried out the massacre, a charge Islamabad denied. After Wednesday's strikes in Pakistan, both sides exchanged heavy fires along their de facto border in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Dozens of civilians were killed on both sides in heavy shelling, the two countries said.

Increasing Western military support to India, and China’s to Pakistan, signals a shift in global alignments — and another potential flashpoint for international tensions.