Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of NATO adopting a positive and responsible policy towards China during his meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted China's commitment to peace and stability. He noted that China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, contributing the largest number of peacekeepers and becoming the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations.
\"China has the world's best record on peace and security,\" Wang stated, expressing his hope that Rutte would encourage NATO to maintain a rational and pragmatic attitude.
Addressing the ongoing geopolitical conflicts, Wang advocated for NATO to continue functioning as a regional defense organization and to play a constructive role in promoting world and regional peace.
In response, Rutte assured that NATO has no intentions to expand into Asia and reaffirmed the organization's readiness to enhance dialogue and communication with China to build mutual understanding and trust.
The discussion also touched upon the Ukraine crisis, with Rutte emphasizing NATO's reliance on China's influence to help resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict swiftly. Wang elaborated on China's principles and expressed willingness to collaborate with all parties to foster a political settlement of the crisis and to help establish a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security framework.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
