NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a press conference, Washington, D.C., February 8, 2023. /CFP
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hold a press conference, Washington, D.C., February 8, 2023. /CFP
Chinese Foreign Ministry has criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for using double standards on the military building.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said China has invested heavily in new military capabilities and increased intelligence activities in Europe at a press briefing together with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Wednesday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Thursday refuted Stoltenberg's remarks at a regular news briefing, saying that NATO keeps breaking through traditional defense areas and requires member countries to increase military spending and military construction while making irresponsible remarks on Chinese military affairs.
Mao stressed that China follows the path of peaceful development and has the best record on peace and security issues: China has never invaded any country, never engaged in proxy wars and global military operations and never threatened other countries with force.
"What NATO should do is to abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, and seriously reflect on its role in promoting stability in Europe and the world, instead of stirring up conflicts and playing up the 'China Threat' theory," Mao said.