Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation not welcome here: Beijing
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Spokesperson Mao Ning urged Japan to stick to a diplomatic and peaceful approach and refrain from making decisions that undermine bilateral trust and endanger regional peace and stability.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning. (AP)
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning urged NATO on Wednesday to reconsider its role in maintaining European security, and warned that the tendency to fuel allegations of a Chinese threat are not welcome in the region.
"NATO should seriously consider what role it played in maintaining European security. I want to emphasize that the Asia-Pacific region is not a field for geopolitical struggle, the Cold War mentality and the bloc confrontation are not welcome here," Ning told a briefing on Wednesday.
She further expressed Beijing's hopes that NATO and Japan will restrain from using more provocations and cause regional tensions to increase as a result of this.
"China has always been a defender of international and regional peace and stability, and this is obvious to everyone. We hope that the relevant parties will not inflate the Chinese threat and provoke regional confrontation," she said.
The spokesperson further urged Japan to stick to a diplomatic and peaceful approach and refrain from making decisions that undermine bilateral trust and endanger regional peace and stability.
Read more: China urges the US to stop playing the 'Taiwan card'
On Tuesday, during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Japan and NATO must "remain united and firm" in the face of security Chinese, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Russian "threats", especially given the situation of the war in Ukraine.
He further said that Beijing's behavior is "a matter of serious concern" and that China is significantly boosting its military forces, including nuclear weapons, "bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan."
"What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow. So we must remain united and firm, standing together for freedom and democracy," the NATO chief claimed.
On his part, Kishida emphasized Japan's intention to establish an independent representative office that would handle NATO matters as the country aims to deepen ties with the alliance.
Furthermore, the PM noted that the country considered becoming a regular participant in high-level meetings held by NATO.
Read more: US General shocks Washington by preparing troops to fight China: WSJ
