US strategy for Indo-Pacific as ‘dangerous’ as NATO expansion: China

China March 20 Hindustan Times - The US strategy for the Indo-Pacific is as “dangerous” as the eastward expansion of Nato in Europe, China’s vice foreign minister Le Yucheng said on Saturday issuing what appeared to be a veiled warning against the Quad grouping of countries.  

“Going against the trend to pursue the Indo-Pacific strategy, provoke trouble, put together closed and exclusive small circles or groups, and get the region off course toward fragmentation and bloc-based division is as dangerous as the NATO strategy of eastward expansion in Europe,” the minister said during a speech at the International Forum on Security hosted by the Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, NATO should have been consigned to history alongside the Warsaw Pact. Rather than breaking up, NATO has kept strengthening and expanding. One could well anticipate the consequences going down this path. The crisis in Ukraine is a stern warning,” Le said.   

China, which has not called Russia’s actions in Ukraine an invasion and criticized economic sanctions against Moscow, says NATO’s plans to admit Ukraine heightened tensions with Russia culminating in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation” in its neighbouring country.  

“If allowed to go on unchecked, it would bring unimaginable consequences, and ultimately push the Asia-Pacific over the edge of an abyss,” Le warned.