MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2023) Most Asian countries oppose NATO's expansion to the east in Indo-Pacific and the creation of the alliance's military replicas in the region, as it incites bloc confrontation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that French President Emmanuel Macron had expressed his opposition to NATO's idea to open an office in Tokyo, saying that it would damage relations between NATO and China. Paris believes the alliance should not extend its geographic reach beyond its own North Atlantic region, the report said.
"Asia lies beyond the geographical scope of the North Atlantic and has no need for a replica of NATO. However, we have seen NATO bent on going east into this region, interfering in regional affairs and inciting bloc confrontation ... The attitude of the majority of countries in the region is very clear. They oppose the emergence of military blocs in the region. They don't welcome NATO's outreach in Asia," Wang said.
He added that NATO's actions "call for high vigilance" in the international community, particularly among Asian countries. The spokesperson also said that the alliance needed to be discreet in this regard, and Japan should "make the right call" for the stability and sustainable development of the region, as well as refrain from actions that could "undermine mutual trust between regional countries and peace and stability in the region."
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in May the alliance was planning to open an office in Tokyo. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi later confirmed the information about the would-be NATO office, saying that Tokyo was in talks to open it. It would be the first NATO liaison office in Asia. Previously, such agencies had been only opened in Georgia and Ukraine. Aside from Japan, NATO is also considering South Korea and Australia as potential partners in the Indo-Pacific, Stoltenberg said.
