China strongly denied on Thursday allegations that it has been arming sides in the war in Ukraine, pushing against recent statements made by leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun dealt with the matter at a routine press conference, brushing off what he termed “slander” from NATO representatives against Chinese military buildup.
Guo justified China’s military expansion as “normal,” refuting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s accusation of a “massive buildup” and alleged assistance to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Rutte, before the NATO summit in The Hague, said that China’s rising military prowess presented an intensifying risk to regional and world stability especially in terms of Taiwan. He went on to say that NATO’s deepening cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries like Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand mirrored growing international unease regarding Beijing’s assertiveness.
Rutte also indicated that in the case of a Chinese move towards Taiwan, Beijing might get Russia to create tensions in Europe and thus split NATO’s attention and resources. “That’s why we have to remain alert and not be naive,” Rutte stated. “It’s also the reason why higher defence spending is essential.”
In turn, Guo restated Beijing’s long-standing stance that Taiwan is an internal affair. China considers Taiwan a secessionist province and has promised reunification by force if this cannot be achieved peacefully. Chinese military activities around Taiwan have stepped up over the past few years, with regular incursions by warplanes and naval vessels.
Taiwanese authorities have accused these military exercises as a potential cover for an imminent surprise attack. Any war over Taiwan has the potential to escalate rapidly into an even wider crisis, as it is linked to the United States’ security guarantees in the region and its continued arms sales to Taipei.
Beijing refuses to admit involvement in backing the Ukraine conflict and threatens foreign intervention in its sovereignty disputes.