On 10 November 2021, Ambassador Zhang Ming, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, sat down with Sam Fleming, Brussels Bureau Chief of the Financial Times (FT), and Andy Bounds, FT's EU correspondent, for an exclusive interview. Answering a question on the relations of China and NATO, Ambassador Zhang Ming made the following remarks.
Not long ago, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a video meeting with Secretary General Stoltenberg from NATO. I myself also maintained frequent communications with NATO leaders. I don’t know whether you’ve been to the new headquarter of NATO. It is a magnificent building. NATO is indeed a rich organization.
Both China and NATO agree to strengthen dialogue and further deepen mutual understanding. Mr. Stoltenberg has said that NATO does not see China as an adversary. Meanwhile, I also noticed that in the communique issued at the NATO summit this year, China was depicted as a systemic challenge. And NATO leaders have expressed on multiple occasions that the organization needs to face up to China’s rise in a comprehensive manner. Actually, such China-related comments are quite self-conflicting.
As I mentioned previously, China has been following the path of peaceful development and our defense policy is defensive in nature. China does not fall into the area of responsibility of NATO and we’ve been keeping friendly cooperation with many NATO members. If choose to interpret China’s development, our investment corporation with Europe and participation in Arctic affairs as challenges to NATO’s security, then I can’t help but think of the famous wolf-lamb story in Aesop’s Fables. In this story, the wolf accuses the lamb of contaminating the downstream water by simply drinking from it. I think the logic is quite ridiculous.
NATO has said time and again that it places high value on China. Then it should try to understand China through dialogue and communication, hold an objective and rational perception towards China, instead of imposing the out-of-date script of the Cold War on us. And as you mentioned, NATO is expected to adopt a new strategic concept next year. The Chinese side is also closely following relevant developments. We hope that NATO, in this process, can stay within its traditional areas of functions and geographical parameters, do not cross the boundary or expand its power using China as an excuse. And we also hope that NATO can refrain from inciting major power confrontations, and do not pull small circles of a new Cold War.