Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the Netherlands to jointly support free trade and safeguard the stability of global industrial and supply chains in a phone call with the Netherlands' new foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp on Thursday. 

He also refuted recent comments about China made at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Washington, saying different political systems and value concepts between China and the NATO countries should not be used as a reason for NATO to incite confrontation with China.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China attaches great importance to its relations with the Netherlands and is ready to establish close contact with the new Dutch government and carry out all-round dialogue to enhance mutual understanding.

He said that China supports the European integration process, the European Union's (EU) development and growth, and its adherence to strategic independence. It is believed that the Netherlands will encourage the European side to view China objectively and rationally and play a constructive role in maintaining the sound and stable development of China-Europe relations, Wang added.

The foreign minister stated that China doesn't accept "groundless" accusations against China and highlighted that China is a major country with the best record in the world on peace and security issues, and has always been a force for peace and a force for stability in the international community.

"NATO should stay within its bounds, and refrain from interfering in Asia-Pacific affairs or China's internal affairs, and from challenging China's legitimate rights and interests," Wang said.

He called for dialogue, mutual understanding and trust to avoid strategic miscalculation, noting that China is willing to maintain contact with NATO based on equality and mutual respect. 

Veldkamp noted that the current China-Netherlands relationship is strong and robust.

He said that China is an important global power and the Netherlands' primary economic and trade partner in Asia, and both sides should and can engage in mutually beneficial cooperation on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues.

In the face of the turbulent international situation, the Netherlands does not support "decoupling" from China and is willing to maintain communication with China to develop practical China-Netherlands relations, Veldkamp said.

The EU-China relationship is crucial, he said, and differences should not hinder cooperation. The Netherlands supports developing a constructive EU-China relationship for the benefit of people worldwide, he said.

NATO is committed to safeguarding the security of its member states and will always be a defensive organization, the Dutch foreign minister added.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.