China on Thursday slammed the new strategic concept of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), saying that the alliance must stop smearing Beijing.
During the Madrid summit on Wednesday, NATO unveiled its new strategic concept, pointing out that the alliance faces "systemic competition" from China that challenges its values and interests.
"[NATO] smears China's foreign policy, makes irresponsible remarks about China's normal military development and national defence policy," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said during a press conference. The alliance encourages confrontation and Cold War mentality and ideological bias, he added.
China is concerned about this and strongly opposes it, the diplomat said, adding that it is NATO that represents a systemic challenge to global stability.
This rebuke from China comes a day after the military alliance on Wednesday noted challenges posed by China and the country's closer ties to Moscow that are against western interests.
"The People's Republic of China's (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values. The PRC employs a broad range of political, economic and military tools to increase its global footprint and project power, while remaining opaque about its strategy, intentions and military build-up," NATO's strategic concept published at a summit in Madrid said.
"The deepening strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation and their mutually reinforcing attempts to undercut the rules-based international order run counter to our values and interests," the document added.
The military alliance noted China's malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target allies and harm alliance security.
The document states that Beijing seeks to control key technological and industrial sectors, critical infrastructure, and strategic materials and supply chains.
"It uses its economic leverage to create strategic dependencies and enhance its influence. It strives to subvert the rules-based international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime domains. The deepening strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation and their mutually reinforcing attempts to undercut the rules-based international order run counter to our values and interests," the document read.
Despite noting the threat from China, the security alliance also said they remain open to constructive engagement with China, with a view to safeguarding the alliance's security interests.
"We will work together responsibly, as Allies, to address the systemic challenges posed by the PRC to Euro-Atlantic security and ensure NATO's enduring ability to guarantee the defence and security of Allies," they said.
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