Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

During his visit to South Korea and Japan, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the need to stay united and firm to "counter China's security threats." Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Stoltenberg's intention to deliberately play up the "China threat" theory, draw ideological lines and drive a wedge between countries in the region deserves high vigilance.

Stoltenberg's trip comes after the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand attended the summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2022 for the first time.

According to media reports, Stoltenberg arrived in Seoul, capital of South Korea on Sunday and then delivered a speech at Keio University in Japan on Wednesday. 

Speaking to the Japanese audience, Stoltenberg spent a significant part of the speech attacking China. "What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow," he noted, adding that China (the Chinese mainland) is attempting to assert control over the South China Sea, and threatening Taiwan.

As a response, Mao Ning, a spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry, said that China is committed to maintaining world peace and stability, and does not engage in geopolitical competitions and has no intention to challenge or threaten any country.

"The peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region is attributable to the joint efforts of countries in the region," Mao said during a press briefing on February 2. "The Asia-Pacific region is not a battlefield for geopolitical competition, and confrontation and the Cold War mentality are not welcome in the region."

Noting that Stoltenberg's intention to deliberately play up the so-called China threat theory, Mao said that NATO should reflect upon what role it has played in safeguarding the security of Europe, and stop trying to disturb the Asia-Pacific region and the world after messing up the Europe.

On Tuesday, Stoltenberg and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a joint statement on Russia's growing military cooperation with China.

Referring to the statement, Mao said on Tuesday that Japan should earnestly learn the lessons of history, stick to a path of peaceful development and not do things that undermine the mutual trust of countries as well as harm peace and stability in the region.

Global Times