BEIJING, July 11: China on Thursday warned NATO against "provoking confrontation" over its ties with Russia, after the alliance accused Beijing of playing a key role in helping Moscows assault on Ukraine.
NATO leaders said in a declaration at their summit in Washington on Wednesday that China had "become a decisive enabler of Russias war against Ukraine".
It said Beijings "so-called
o limits partnership" and "large-scale support for Russias defence industrial base" were of "profound concern".
In response, a spokesperson for Beijings mission to the European Union said: "NATO should stop hyping up the so-called China threat and provoking confrontation and rivalry, and do more to contribute to world peace and stability."
"It is known to all that China is not the creator (of) the Ukraine crisis. Chinas position on Ukraine is open and aboveboard," they added.
China has refused to condemn Russias invasion and last year released a paper calling for a "political settlement" to the conflict, which Western countries said could enable Russia to retain much of the territory it has seized in Ukraine.
China and Russias strategic partnership has grown closer since the invasion.
Beijing presents itself as a neutral party in the war and says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations.
It has however offered a critical lifeline to Russias isolated economy, with trade booming since the conflict began.
But that economic partnership has come under close scrutiny from the West in recent months, with Washington vowing to go after financial institutions that facilitate Moscows war effort.
The United States and Europe have also accused Beijing of selling components and equipment necessary to keep Moscows military production afloat.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in April this included "machine tools, semiconductors, other dual-use items that have helped Russia rebuild the defence industrial base that sanctions and export controls had done so much to degrade". —AFP
