China says it will never accept ‘unfounded accusations’ at NATO summit

(Reuters)

BEIJING, July 12 – China will never accept the “unfounded accusations” made against it at the NATO summit this week in Washington, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said to his Dutch counterpart over a phone call, his ministry said.

Wang said China is willing to maintain contact with NATO on “an equal footing” and conduct exchanges on the basis of mutual respect, asking the military alliance to neither interfere with its internal affairs nor challenge its interests.

He said that China and NATO countries have different political systems and values, but this should not be a reason for NATO to “instigate confrontation with China”.

“The right way is to strengthen dialogue, enhance understanding, build basic mutual trust and avoid strategic miscalculation,” Wang said in the Thursday phone call.

China on Thursday criticised the NATO summit declaration that described it as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine as biased and “sowing discord”.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said NATO’s “hyping up” of China’s responsibility towards the Ukraine crisis “comes with malicious intent”.

About relations with the Netherlands, Wang said China is willing to establish close ties with the new Dutch government and carry out all-round dialogue.

He added that China believed the Netherlands will encourage the European Union to look at China objectively and rationally, and play a constructive role in maintaining healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.