China accuses NATO of 'inflating' threats; calls it 'systematic challenge' to global peace

In a stern response against the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) new strategic concept, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday accused the West-led military alliance of "inflating so-called Chinese threats." Speaking at a regular press briefing, Lijian demanded the international military bloc stop its "baseless criticism" and refrain from "Cold War ideology." He added that the 30-nation alliance posed a "systematic challenge" to global peace and stability instead of ensuring security.

"NATO itself is a systemic challenge to global peace and stability...We want to state openly that NATO is exaggerating and inflating the so-called Chinese threat and this is an absolutely futile endeavor," Lijian said adding that the bloc's 2022 Strategic Concept presented at the Madrid summit has launched a "malicious attack" on Beijing, as quoted by the Chinese MFA press release.

Lijian alleged that NATO misrepresented facts and "distorted" the truth to smear China's military posture and defence policy. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also rebuked NATO for stoking confrontation and antagonism, adding that Beijing chastises NATO's "ideological bias" and the zero-sum game. "China is gravely concerned over this and firmly opposes it. China is known to be a force for world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. China has never invaded any country, never launched a proxy war, and never joined or formed any military bloc," Lijian remarked.

China's mission to the European Union also slammed NATO's strategic concept, saying that the alliance was making futile attempts to exaggerate the "so-called China threat." He added, “Who’s challenging global security and undermining world peace? Are there any wars or conflicts over the years where Nato is not involved?”

NATO calls Russia 'direct threat' in Euro-Atlantic

The staunch reprimand comes after NATO allies for the first time included threats posed by China into their blueprint of the 2022 strategy, which was introduced at the Madrid Summit last earlier this week. There was no mention of Beijing in the previous document that was published in 2010. NATO in its core strategy outlined that its immediate focus will be tackling "systematic challenges posed by People's Republic of China to Euro-Atlantic security." It added NATO will also prioritise "deepening strategic partnership" between Russia and China.

In the document emphasising the priorities of NATO in the coming years, the bloc described Russia as the "most significant and direct threat" in Euro-Atlantic. "Authoritarian actors [Russia and China] challenge our interests, as they invest in nuclear and missile capabilities, with little transparency or regard for international norms and commitments. These actors are also at the forefront of a deliberate effort to undermine multilateral norms and institutions and promote authoritarian models of governance," NATO said in its new Strategic Concept for the alliance, 2022. It also emphasised that China has territorial ambitions and coercive policies that challenge the West-led bloc.

(Image: AP)