BEIJING, July 2. /TASS/. China urges the North Atlantic Alliance to think about its own role in ensuring security in Europe and globally instead of pointing the finger at others, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference.
"NATO should think about the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and about what the alliance did for peace and security in Europe and the world over instead of dodging responsibility or shifting the blame for conflicts on others," the Chinese diplomat said.
According to Mao, "NATO continues to outright challenge China as it interferes in its domestic affairs, distorting and discrediting China’s domestic and foreign policy and creating a major threat to its interests." She said the Chinese side cannot agree with the bloc’s policy of "using ideological differences to ignite conflicts, spur confrontation or escalate tensions."
Earlier, Jens Stoltenberg, who will step down as NATO secretary-general later this year, told Japanese newspaper Yomiuri that while the bloc doesn’t view China as a rival, Beijing’s behavior "goes against its values, interests and security." Also, the outgoing NATO chief said, China is posing a threat to Taiwan and its neighbors.
Beijing has repeatedly spoken out against US unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies over alleged ties with the Russian defense industry as it argued that Russia and China have the right to normal trade and economic cooperation. Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington Liu Pengyu has told TASS that the US has been spreading misinformation about China’s military support to Russia.