China urges NATO to stop vilifying Beijing and exaggerating threats
BEIJING, China, June 26: Beijing has called on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to stop exaggerating threats and vilifying China, urging the alliance to abandon Cold War-era thinking and cease manipulating China-related narratives to justify its military expansion.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun issued the remarks on Thursday in response to recent comments by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Rutte cited what he called "the long-term threat of Russia, the massive military build-up in China, and support from North Korea, China, and Iran for Russia's war effort in Ukraine" as reasons for increased NATO defense spending.
Guo condemned the remarks, saying that NATO's attempts to amplify global tensions and portray China's routine military modernization as a threat are being used to rationalize the bloc's expanded military footprint and growing defense budgets.
"NATO's military expenditure accounted for 55 percent of global defense spending in 2024, yet it still pushes member states to raise spending to 5 percent of GDP to build a 'more lethal NATO'," Guo said at a daily press briefing. "What exactly are their intentions?"
He also criticized the alliance for operating beyond the geographic limits set by its founding treaty. "Though it calls itself a regional defensive alliance, NATO is clearly reaching beyond its defined scope, citing Eurasian security as a pretext to intervene in Asia-Pacific affairs," Guo noted, adding that such moves have raised concerns among countries in the region.
Regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Guo reiterated China's neutral stance, stating that the country has never supplied weapons to any party involved and strictly controls the export of dual-use items.
'China's objective and fair approach, along with its constructive role in global peace efforts, has been widely acknowledged by the international community,' he said.
Guo concluded by urging NATO to reflect on its own actions, listen to calls for justice from the international community, and reject outdated notions of bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition.
'If NATO truly seeks security for Europe and the world, it should stop fanning the flames of conflict and provoking confrontation,' he said.
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BEIJING, China, June 26: Beijing has called on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to stop exaggerating threats and vilifying China, urging the alliance to abandon Cold War-era thinking and cease manipulating China-related narratives to justify its military expansion. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun issued the remarks on Thursday in response to recent comments by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Rutte cited what he called "the long-term threat of Russia, the massive military build-up in China, and support from North Korea, China, and Iran for Russia's war effort in Ukraine" as reasons for increased NATO defense spending. Guo condemned the remarks, saying that NATO's attempts to amplify global tensions and portray China's routine military modernization as a threat are being used to rationalize the bloc's expanded military footprint and growing defense budgets. "NATO's military expenditure accounted for 55 percent of global defense spending in 2024, yet it still pushes member states to raise spending to 5 percent of GDP to build a 'more lethal NATO'," Guo said at a daily press briefing. "What exactly are their intentions?" He also criticized the alliance for operating beyond the geographic limits set by its founding treaty. "Though it calls itself a regional defensive alliance, NATO is clearly reaching beyond its defined scope, citing Eurasian security as a pretext to intervene in Asia-Pacific affairs," Guo noted, adding that such moves have raised concerns among countries in the region. Regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Guo reiterated China's neutral stance, stating that the country has never supplied weapons to any party involved and strictly controls the export of dual-use items. 'China's objective and fair approach, along with its constructive role in global peace efforts, has been widely acknowledged by the international community,' he said. Guo concluded by urging NATO to reflect on its own actions, listen to calls for justice from the international community, and reject outdated notions of bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition. 'If NATO truly seeks security for Europe and the world, it should stop fanning the flames of conflict and provoking confrontation,' he said.
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