China Urges NATO to Discard Cold War Mentality

## Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during a daily press briefing in Beijing on July 9, 2026. She argued that the alliance should cease promoting narratives that frame China as a threat and must adjust its perceptions of the country to reflect current global realities.

Mao asserted that China serves as a force for world peace and does not threaten other nations. She specifically called on NATO to discard its Cold War mentality, which she suggested drives the alliance to find fault with China at every turn. According to the spokesperson, this approach ignores the actual nature of the alliance's purpose.

During the briefing, Mao emphasized that NATO is a regional alliance for defense with clearly defined geographic boundaries and a specific scope of mission. She urged the organization to respect those established limits rather than expanding its focus to include adversarial rhetoric toward China. The statement highlights an ongoing tension regarding the alliance's evolving strategic concepts and China's rejection of being categorized as a security challenge.