China warns NATO against creating chaos in Asia and denies enabling Russia's actions in Ukraine

In a recent development, China has accused NATO of prioritizing its own security interests at the expense of others, cautioning the alliance against bringing "chaos" to Asia. This statement from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson follows NATO's characterization of China as a key supporter of Russia's actions in Ukraine. The spokesperson criticized NATO's stance on China's role in the Ukraine conflict as unreasonable and driven by ulterior motives. China has diverged from the US and European allies by refraining from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and justifying its trade relations with Russia within World Trade Organization guidelines. China has expressed apprehension regarding NATO's growing engagements with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea participating in a recent NATO summit. Notably, Chinese troops are currently engaged in joint military exercises with Belarus near the Polish border, a NATO member state. These drills, described as routine by China, mark the first such collaboration with Belarus, a Russian ally. China's active involvement in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, alongside Russia and other nations, is viewed as a counterbalance to Western influence in the region, leading to tensions over Chinese expansion in territories formerly part of the Soviet Union. During a recent meeting in Kazakhstan, Russian President Putin reiterated demands for Ukraine to withdraw troops from occupied territories, a proposal rejected by Ukraine and supported by China. The alignment of Chinese and Russian foreign policies against the West has strengthened, with Russia increasingly reliant on China as a major buyer of its oil and gas exports. This strategic partnership underscores a shared opposition to Western influence and a growing alliance between the two nations in the face of global geopolitical challenges.