BEIJING, January 12. /TASS/. A new declaration on cooperation between NATO and the European Union confirms the aspiration of some Western countries to revive the unhealthy trends of the Cold War era, according to assistant research fellow from the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University Cui Heng.
"This is certainly not good news for global security, as NATO is trying to retain the 'legacy' of the Cold War and is trying to escalate the toxic trend," the Global Times newspaper quoted him as saying on Thursday.
According to the expert, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent visit to China and the possible visit of French President Emmanuel Macron should alarm NATO because it can lead to the EU’s altered stance which is disadvantageous for the US-led bloc. "So [NATO] hopes to regulate the EU's behavior through this joint declaration," he said.
The analyst reiterated that NATO and the EU are trying to engage Beijing in bloc confrontation. That said, China’s authorities clearly recognize "that China and Europe have good prospects for cooperation rather than focusing on confrontation."
As the Global Times points out, the EU may end up being "a US pet" but it still can "avoid being taken hostage by the military organization" "which long lost the cause of existence." "NATO <…> is sparing no effort to prolong its life. It is deliberately creating enemies, when it could have no enemy at all," the newspaper emphasizes.
On Tuesday, NATO and the EU signed a declaration aimed to bolster their strategic partnership. According to it, the alliance remains the foundation of collective security in the Euro-Atlantic region while recognizing the value of Europe’s more active defense. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, this move was triggered by threats emanating from "authoritarian actors" on the international political stage. In this context he mentioned Russia’s special operation in Ukraine and China’s growing activity.