China doesn't want to get caught in the middle of a India-Pakistan conflict.
China has close economic, diplomatic and military ties with Pakistan, making it one of the nation's closest allies in region.
Meanwhile, China's long-running trade war with the US has forced Beijing to look for alternative trading partners. As result, China has started to rebuild ties with rival rising power India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Last year Modi made two visits to China.
This week, China's Foreign Ministry called for both Pakistan and India to "maintain self-restraint and focus on regional peace and stability."
In an urgent late night call on Wednesday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi asked Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to play "a constructive role in easing the current tensions."
During the call, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, and China does not want to see the acts that violate the norms of international relations."
Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, said there was no benefit to China on any front if tensions between India and Pakistan spiraled.
"China cannot afford to be seen as failing Pakistan, but at the same time I don't think the Chinese really want to pick a fight with the Indians over this," he said.
The Xinjiang dilemma
The long-standing tensions that existed in the region were not a big problem for Beijing, according to China expert Tsang, as they served to remind Islamabad of China's importance as an ally.
But the escalation this week has put Beijing in an awkward position.
"They have to do something to show that they are helping to keep things under control, while not appearing unreliable as Pakistan's ally," Tsang said.
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