China has expressed worries to Pakistan about how recently executed air strikes in border areas close to Afghanistan are handled. Beijing has criticised these strikes, apparently targeted at terrorist hideouts, citing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s irritation about Pakistan’s increasing instability and effects on regional security. China, a major strategic ally and investor in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), worries that ongoing instability in Pakistan would compromise Chinese interests and population there. The causes of China’s discontent, political and security consequences, and potential strain on China-Pakistan relations are explored in this paper.