China has criticised the Western defence alliance for its actions in the Asia-Pacific region and called on it to rethink what it is doing.

China made the criticism before the start of a NATO summit meeting in Washington.

Beijing opposes NATO’s “slander” and rejects the idea that it is using China as an excuse to advance into the Asia-Pacific region and cause tensions there.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in Beijing on Tuesday.

The meeting in the U.S. capital aims to discuss further dealings with China and increased NATO cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

“NATO claims itself to be a regional defensive alliance on the one hand, but on the other hand, keeps breaching its boundary, expanding its mandate, reaching beyond its defence zone, and stoking confrontation, which reveals its deeply embedded Cold War mentality and ideological bias,” Mr Lin said.

“This is the real source of risks threatening global peace and stability.”

China, on the other hand, is a builder of world peace and contributes to global development,” he said.

Beijing calls on NATO to correct its false image of China and abandon its Cold War mindset, Mr  Lin said.

In Washington, the leaders of the 32 NATO member states also plan to discuss the expansion of deterrence and defence and further support for Ukraine.

China is neutral in the conflict but is backing Russia as its most important ally. 

(dpa/NAN)