China on Thursday said it needed “high vigilance” in the face of the “eastward expansion” of the Western North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance, following a report that the alliance plans to open an office in Japan to facilitate consultations with allies in the region.
NATO plans to open its first Asian office in Japan to facilitate dialogue with security partners such as South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, taking into account the geopolitical challenges of China and Russia, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday, citing Japanese authorities and the military alliance.
Mao Ning, spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, said Asia was “a promising land for cooperation and development and shouldn’t be a battlefield for geopolitics.”
“NATO’s continued eastward expansion in the Asia-Pacific, interference in regional affairs, attempts to destroy regional peace and stability, and pressure for inter-bloc confrontation require heightened vigilance by countries in the region “Mao said at a press conference.
Nikkei Asia said the proposed office would open next year in Tokyo.
When asked about the Nikkei Asia report, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance would not go into detail on the allies’ deliberations.
“NATO has offices and liaison arrangements with a range of international organizations and partner countries, and Allies regularly review these arrangements to ensure they best meet the needs of NATO and our partners,” he said.
Source: Terra
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