ISLAMABAD – As tensions over the Indus Waters Treaty continue to simmer, a prominent Chinese voice entered the debate with unusually strong remarks.
Speaking in Islamabad, Dr. Victor Gao, Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), called for Beijing to fully back Pakistan, warned against using water as a political weapon, and argued that any attempt to cut off Pakistan’s water could amount to a “crime against humanity” in peacetime and a “war crime” during conflict.
Gao declared that any attempt to deprive Pakistan of its share of Indus waters would amount to a “crime against humanity” in peacetime and a “war crime” during armed conflict, while calling for closer China-Pakistan coordination on the issue.
Chinese Professor Victor Gao exposes Indian PM Modi's threats against Pakistan 🇨🇳🇵🇰
He told Indian media that PM Modi's threat to stop Indus River water from reaching Pakistan would be a crime against humanity in peacetime and a war crime during wartime. pic.twitter.com/R8espSwF36
— Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) June 30, 2026
Gao urged all parties to fully respect the decades-old agreement and proposed expanding it into a trilateral framework by formally including China. He argued that the uninterrupted flow of water through the Indus River system must be guaranteed under the treaty’s provisions.
Recalling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks about stopping water supplies to Pakistan, Gao said he had publicly opposed the idea during interviews with leading Indian television channels. According to Gao, using water as a political weapon against millions of people would violate fundamental humanitarian principles. He maintained that cutting off water in peacetime would constitute a crime against humanity, while doing so in wartime could qualify as a war crime under international law.
He said India is not the ultimate upstream state because the Indus River originates in the Himalayan region. He argued that no country should pursue policies that it would consider unacceptable if another state adopted the same approach against it.
Recounting one of his television appearances, Gao said an interviewer asked whether he was threatening India. He responded by invoking the words of the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius: “Do not do unto others what you would not want done unto yourself,” saying he repeated the principle several times to underscore his message.
Shedding light on close ties between China and Pakistan, Gao said the partnership, built on mutual respect, reinforces the need to uphold the Indus Waters Treaty. He expressed support for the views presented during the seminar and called for stronger cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad to protect shared water interests.
He further urged that China be made a formal party to the Indus Waters Treaty, transforming it into a trilateral agreement. He argued that such a step could strengthen regional cooperation and help safeguard uninterrupted water flows.
Looking beyond the Indus basin, Gao noted that rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau sustain at least eight countries. He called on those nations to jointly develop a comprehensive code of conduct for managing transboundary rivers, with the backing of the United Nations and the wider international community.
Touching on broader regional developments, Gao also referred to recent tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway had emerged as a major flashpoint before reopening following a peace agreement between the United States and Iran.
Gao’s remarks add a new dimension to the debate over regional water security, placing renewed international attention on the Indus Waters Treaty and raising fresh calls for broader cooperation over shared river systems.
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