Beijing has responded harshly to NATO’s accusations that China challenges the bloc’s interests and threatens its security, and opposes any expansion of the alliance’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region, Reuters news agency writes.
On Tuesday, the 11th of July, during the summit, NATO published a harsh statement about the threat to the alliance’s values and security caused by China’s repressive policy and ambitions. NATO leaders said in a statement: “The PRC’s malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security.”
China’s mission in Europe, responding to the statement, said that
the China-related content in the NATO statement omitted important facts, distorted China’s position and policy,
and deliberately defamed the Asian superpower.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the media that although China is not considered an enemy of NATO, it is increasingly challenging the international order: “China is increasingly challenging the rules-based international order, refusing to condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine, threatening Taiwan, and carrying out a substantial military build-up.” However, Taiwan is not mentioned in the official statement.
The leaders of the Asia Pacific countries are also among the participants of the NATO summit.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is attending the summit for the second time, sought to remind the alliance of the need to pay attention to risks in East Asia, while the South Korean president called for deeper international cooperation, given the threat posed by North Korea and tensions with China.
In May,
Kishida informed that Japan does not plan to become a member of NATO,
although the alliance plans to open a representative office in Tokyo. China’s mission has said China firmly opposes NATO’s eastward push and warned that any actions that threaten Beijing’s rights will be met with an appropriate response.
China is seeking ways to control key technological and industrial sectors, critical infrastructure, and strategic material supply chains and use economic influence to increase dependence on it and grow its influence, NATO said in a statement.