Chinese mission to EU voices strong opposition to NATO smear

China has strongly rejected the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders calling the country a "systemic challenge" to Euro-Atlantic security as alliance leaders gathered for a two-day meeting in Lithuanian capital Vilnius.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) made the remarks late Tuesday in light of the NATO summit joint communique issued earlier in the day. The communique also claimed that "China's stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values."

Noting the NATO statement is ridden with Cold War mentality and ideological bias, the spokesperson said in a statement published on the mission's website that the China-related content in the communique disregards basic facts, wantonly distorts China's position and policies, and deliberately discredits China.

"China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests and resolutely opposes NATO's eastward movement into the Asia-Pacific region," the statement added.

A regional military alliance born out of the Cold War, NATO has been interfering in extraterritorial affairs and creating confrontation, the spokesperson said, calling on the alliance to "listen to the international community's just call for peace, development and cooperation" and play a constructive role for world peace and stability.

The Chinese spokesperson also expressed concern over NATO's repeated reference to the bloc's nuclear capacity, saying this will only escalate tensions in the region.

（CGTN）