As dangerous as NATO expansion: China on US’ Indo-Pacific move

Beijing, March 20

The US’ Indo-Pacific strategy is as “dangerous” as NATO’s eastward expansion in Europe resulting in Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine, a senior Chinese diplomat has said.

“With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) should have been consigned to history alongside the Warsaw Pact,” China’s Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said while addressing the International Forum on Security and Strategy hosted by the Centre for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University on Saturday.

“However, rather than breaking up, NATO has kept strengthening and expanding. The crisis in Ukraine is a stern warning,” he said. —