The
draft communique said China has become a decisive enabler of Russia's
war effort in Ukraine and Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to
Europe and to security.
"As we all know, China is not the creator of the crisis
in Ukraine," the spokesperson said, according to a statement released by
the Chinese Mission to the EU on Thursday.
"The declaration of the NATO summit in Washington is
full of Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric, and China-related content
is full of provocations, lies, incitement and smears," the spokesperson
said.
Leaders of NATO countries stressed a membership pledge for
Ukraine, took a stronger stance on China's support for Russia, and
the declaration strengthened past NATO language on China.
"China's
core position on the Ukraine issue is to promote peace talks and political
settlement, which has been widely recognized and appreciated by the
international community," said the spokesperson.
Beijing put forward a 12-point paper more than a year ago
that set out general principles for ending the war, but did not get into
specifics. It received a lukewarm reception at the time in both Russia and
Ukraine.
For its part, China has repeatedly lashed out at
NATO criticisms and has warned against its expansion into the Asia-Pacific
region.
Leaders
of Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, in attendance at NATO, have
forged stronger ties with the security alliance amid rising concerns over
China's aggressions in the South China Sea.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry
said, "We firmly oppose NATO acting beyond its characterization as a
regional defensive alliance, inserting itself into the Asia-Pacific to incite
confrontation and rivalry, and disrupting the prosperity and stability in this
region."
