China Denies Reports of Y-20 Aircraft Delivering Supplies to Pakistan

The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has denied reports that it had deployed a Xi'an Y-20 military transport aircraft to deliver relief supplies to Pakistan, calling the claims false and misleading.

Responding to widespread speculation on social media, the PLAAF issued a statement asserting, “Such claims are untrue.” The force also released screenshots of posts spreading the alleged misinformation, each marked with the red Chinese character for "rumor."

“The internet is not beyond the law! Those who produce and spread military-related rumors will be held legally responsible!” the Air Force added.

The denial comes as tensions between India and Pakistan escalate following a series of cross-border attacks. India's armed forces have vowed to dismantle terror camps in Pakistan, citing a long history of attacks allegedly linked to Pakistan-based groups. These include the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2008 Delhi bombings, the 26/11 Mumbai assault, the 2019 Pulwama bombing, and most recently, the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.

The worsening conflict is drawing global attention to military capabilities in the region, particularly the involvement of Chinese technology. Defense observers suggest the standoff could offer the first substantial battlefield comparison of Chinese-made weapons systems against Western-supplied hardware.

Shares in China's defense sector have surged as a result. AVIC Chengdu Aircraft, which manufactures the J-10C fighter jet, saw its stock price rise by 40% this week. The increase follows Pakistani claims that J-10C jets were used to shoot down Indian combat aircraft during an aerial engagement on Wednesday — including, reportedly, the French-made Rafale jets. India has not confirmed any losses or commented on the incident.

The Chinese government has remained officially neutral in the conflict, but any sign of its military platforms being deployed in support of Pakistan — even if untrue — has the potential to worsen regional tensions further.