NATO countries should stop their “tricks” of “interfering in other countries’ internal affairs’ Mao Ning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Monday when asked about NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s criticism of China’s response to the Alexey Navalny’s death.
“NATO should stop its tricks of hyping up tensions and interfering in other countries’ internal affairs to expand its sphere of influence and stop smearing China and stoking antagonism and confrontation,” Mao asserted, adding “NATO should earnestly take concrete action for the peace and stability in Europe.”
Previously, China called the death “Russia’s internal affair” and offered no comment.
“First and foremost, different from NATO, China never interferes in other countries’ internal affairs,” the spokeswoman added, reiterating China’s position favoring peace talks in Ukraine.
In contrast, NATO leaders immediately blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin, before any investigation had been taken.
“If confirmed [Navalny’s death], would be a further sign of Putin’s brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible,” US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Friday.
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that NATO jumping to conclusions was itself suspicious.
“The immediate reaction of NATO leaders to Navalny’s death in the form of direct accusations against Russia is self-exposing. There is no forensic examination yet, but the West’s already made conclusions,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that “carbon-copy accusations” that came within minutes after Navalny’s death show that they must have been “prepared in advance.”
Last year, China released a 12-point document titled “China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis” which included the end of hostilities and the resumption of peace talks.