China accused NATO on Thursday of seeking security at the expense of others and warned the alliance against bringing “chaos” to Asia. This statement reflects China’s opposition to strengthening ties between NATO members and Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
The Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Lin Jian, made the comments a day after NATO labeled China a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Lin asserted that “NATO hyping up China’s responsibility on the Ukraine issue is unreasonable and has sinister motives.” He insisted that China maintains a fair and objective stance on the Ukraine issue.
China has diverged from the US and European allies regarding the Ukraine war, refusing to condemn Russia’s invasion and avoiding labeling it as aggression. China’s trade with Russia has increased since the invasion, partially mitigating the effects of Western sanctions.
NATO’s recent statement from a summit in Washington claimed that China has become an enabler of the war through its “no-limits partnership” with Russia and significant support for Russia’s defense industry. China responded, calling NATO’s statement “filled with Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric,” and described it as “provocative” and “filled with obvious lies and smears.” A spokesperson for China’s mission to the European Union declared that China “firmly rejects and deplores these accusations and has lodged serious representations with NATO.”
