China urges NATO to abandon Cold War mindset and stop fuelling global confrontation

China’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticised NATO for inflating military spending and interfering in Asia-Pacific affairs, rejecting claims that China supports Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

China accused NATO of inflaming international tensions and misrepresenting its military policy in a firm response to comments made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. At a regular press conference on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun denounced NATO’s call for increased military investment and its growing presence beyond Europe.

"Some in NATO, by playing up international and regional tensions and slandering China’s normal military buildup, seek nothing but excuses to allow NATO to drastically grow its military spending," Guo said.

He criticised the alliance for pushing defence investment to 5 percent of GDP under the banner of building a "more lethal NATO", questioning its true objective and accusing it of overstepping its geographic mandate.

Despite being a regional alliance under international law, Guo noted, NATO continues to assert that developments in the Asia-Pacific are linked to Euro-Atlantic security, allowing it to justify expanding its reach eastward.

"NATO countries already account for 55 percent of the world’s total military spending in 2024. Yet they’re still required to raise defence investment. The world is not blind to NATO’s calculations, and countries in the Asia-Pacific are certainly wary of it," he added.

Guo also rejected accusations that China is backing Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine. He said China has consistently promoted peace talks, has never supplied weapons to either side, and maintains tight control over dual-use exports.

“China’s objective and impartial position and constructive role have been widely recognised by the international community, while NATO’s disinformation cannot deceive people around the world,” he stated.

Guo urged NATO to reconsider its approach, abandon Cold War thinking, and stop fuelling global confrontation. He stressed China’s commitment to sovereignty and peace, describing the country as “a builder of world peace” with a responsible international track record.

“Time for NATO to get its perception right about China and stop manipulating issues on China. China will firmly uphold sovereignty, security, and development interests,” Guo concluded.

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