China urges NATO to give up attempts at destabilizing Asia — Foreign Ministry

The Chinese government is calling on NATO to stop trying to destabilize Asia in the wake of the crisis in Europe, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said while commenting on Bloomberg's report China would be called a "systemic challenge" in NATO’s new strategic concept.

"What NATO needs to do is to abandon the Cold War mindset, zero-sum games and the practice of creating enemy images. After the turmoil in Europe, NATO countries should abandon their attempts to destabilize Asia and the world," Zhao told a news conference on Tuesday, reports TASS.

"As a product of the Cold War and the world's largest military alliance, NATO has long professed outdated views on security issues and has long become a tool for individual countries in attempts to maintain their hegemony," he stressed.

"China pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy. It does not interfere in the internal affairs of other states. Nor does it export its ideology or use extraterritorial jurisdiction, economic blackmail, or unilateral sanctions. How can China be a systematic challenge?" Zhao said.