Following the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, China launched a disinformation campaign to prevent the sale of the French Rafale. current in favor of its own J-35s, the US report claimed.
The claims in the report come months after French intelligence and military officials alleged that China had orchestrated a covert campaign to tarnish the reputation of the Rafale fighter jet.
Citing a French intelligence service, the report said China used fake social media accounts to spread AI images of alleged “debris” from planes destroyed by Chinese weaponry.
The report further added that in 2024, pro-China online actors used AI-generated news programs and fake social media accounts with AI-generated profile pictures to sow division in the United States on issues such as drug use, immigration and abortion.
“Chinese embassy officials persuaded Indonesia to stop purchase of Rafale jets already in progress, encouraging China’s intrusion into military procurement by other regional actors,” message added.
The report also claimed that China has reportedly offered to sell 40 fifth-generation J-35 fighter jets, KJ-500 aircraft and anti-ballistic missile defense systems to Pakistan in June 2025.
China unveiled its J-35A fifth-generation fighter jet in November 2024.
“That same month, Pakistan announced a 20 percent increase in its defense budget for 2025-2026, bringing planned spending to $9 billion despite an overall budget cut.
India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Meanwhile, the report added that China has deepened ties with Central Asia to advance its interests through economic integration, infrastructure and security cooperation as Russia is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine.
“In the first five months of 2025, China’s trade with the five Central Asian countries increased by 10.4 percent year-on-year… China is also using infrastructure projects and security partnerships to expand its market access and deepen its influence across the region.
The “Central Corridor” trade route through Central Asia is a strategic priority for China, as the “Northern Corridor” through Russia and sea routes through the Suez Canal pose security challenges.
“To expand access, China launched new infrastructure projects and doubled existing agreements during the China-Central Asia Summit in June 2025.”
