BEIJING, July 25 -- "In its Washington Summit Declaration, NATO spread belligerent rhetoric and made baseless accusations against China. It was full of lies and bias to slander China and incited confrontation. We are strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to such contents," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
In its recently issued Washington Summit Declaration, NATO accused China of continuing to challenge NATO's interests, security and values, and "having become a decisive enabler of Russia's war against Ukraine". NATO Secretary General said that NATO was to engage more closely with Indo-Pacific countries and he supported more naval exercises between NATO Allies and Indo-Pacific partners.
Spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang pointed out that in recent years, NATO has extended its ominous reach into the Asia-Pacific region, with China as its imagined antagonist. It has induced a number of regional countries to follow its lead, provoked bloc confrontation and created division. NATO is, indeed, a "sower of wars and chaos".
"From Ukraine to Afghanistan, from Iraq to Libya, it has brought war and disaster to these regions and their people. History has taught us that division and confrontation would find no support, and belligerency and expansion would work its own ruins", said the spokesperson.
On the Ukraine issue, the Chinese side follows an objective and impartial position, and actively promotes peace talks, which has been widely recognized by the international community. In contrast, the US-led NATO allies keep fueling the fire and profiteering from the war. NATO needs to reflect on itself, instead of deflecting blame onto China.
The spokesperson emphasized that China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. The Chinese military remains a staunch force for global and regional peace and stability.
"We urge NATO not to interfere in China's internal affairs, not to challenge China's legitimate rights and interests, and not to smear China's domestic and foreign policies. Otherwise, it will only be hoisted by its own petard," stressed the spokesperson.