NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L, front) and US President Joe Biden (R, front) attend a group photo session during an extraordinary NATO leaders' summit at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. An extraordinary NATO leaders' summit to discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is held at the NATO headquarters in Brussels of Belgium on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

China firmly opposes NATO leaders' groundless accusations, suspicions and calls for NATO to have a good reflection on itself and reject its Cold War mentality, a spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU on Friday said in response to a question concerning the NATO extraordinary summit statement mentioning China.

We must stay on high alert and say no to a "new Cold War," which goes against the trend of history and the aspirations of people around the world, the spokesperson said.

23 years ago, on March 24, 1999, NATO bombs fell on the ground of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, causing thousands of casualties including Chinese citizens, and displacing hundreds of thousands. The lessons of history must not be forgotten, the spokesperson noted. 

NATO Heads of State and Government on Thursday issued a joint statement after the extraordinary Summit, in which NATO leaders called on all states, including China, to "uphold the international order including the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," as enshrined in the UN Charter, to abstain from supporting Russia's war effort, and to refrain from any action that helps Russia circumvent sanctions. They are also concerned that China is engaged in amplifying Russia's false narratives. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the above-mentioned position at the press conference following the summit.

Since the Ukraine crisis broke out, China has been working actively to facilitate peace talks, the cessation of conflicts, as well as the avoidance of a large-scale humanitarian crisis, the spokesperson said. "Time will prove that China is on the right side of history. What has NATO done? Anyone without prejudice would come to a fair conclusion," the spokesperson said.

Concerning accusations that China is amplifying false narratives, they are made by those who fan the flames to stir up troubles. Lies shall always remain lies, and what is false cannot become true, the spokesperson noted.

Global Times