(Beijing) China on Thursday urged NATO to stop “inciting confrontation” between blocs after harsh criticism from the Atlantic alliance accusing Beijing of providing crucial assistance to Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine.
NATO leaders meeting in Washington on Wednesday expressed “deep concern” over the rapprochement between Russia and China. They denounced Beijing’s support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, according to a final statement.
“The deepening strategic partnership between Russia and China, as well as their combined attempts to destabilize and reshape the rules-based international order, raise deep concerns,” they said.
China “is now playing a decisive role in Russia’s war against Ukraine,” they added, calling on Beijing, “in its capacity as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (…) to cease materially and politically supporting the Russian war effort.”
China on Thursday expressed “strong dissatisfaction” and denounced a NATO statement “marked by a Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric,” according to a statement from the spokesperson of the Chinese mission to the European Union (EU).
“NATO should stop hyping up the so-called Chinese threat, stop inciting confrontation and rivalry, and contribute more to world peace and stability,” he stressed, denouncing remarks “filled” with “slander.”
China calls for peace talks, has pledged not to supply weapons to Russia and calls for respect for the territorial integrity of all countries – including Ukraine. But it has never condemned Moscow for its invasion.
“Oil on the fire”
“We have never supplied lethal weapons to either side of the conflict and we exercise strict control over exports of dual-use products, including civilian drones,” the spokesperson assured.
“The Ukrainian crisis has been going on for a long time. Who is adding fuel to the fire? Who is fanning the flames? And who is trying to profit from it? The answer is clear to everyone,” he said, seeming to target the West, particularly the United States, which supplies weapons to Ukraine.
The NATO summit is scheduled to welcome Asia-Pacific partner countries – Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia – on Thursday, in what Beijing sees as a pretext to extend the alliance’s influence into Asia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed on Wednesday that his organization’s statement was the strongest towards China “ever adopted” by the Atlantic alliance.