China has cautioned NATO against “instigating conflict” regarding its relations with Russia following the Western military alliance's claims that Beijing plays a pivotal role in Moscow's offensive in Ukraine. The admonition was issued as NATO leaders gathered in Washington, DC, vowing to reinforce Ukraine and Europe's defenses against Russia and highlighting that China was progressively becoming a focal point of the alliance. A spokesperson for the Beijing mission to the European Union urged NATO to “cease sensationalizing the so-called China threat and inciting conflict and competition, and instead, do more to contribute to global peace and stability.” Despite deepening strategic links with Russia, China has chosen not to denounce Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Maintaining neutrality in the conflict, China asserts it is not providing lethal aid to either party, unlike the US and other Western nations. However, China has extended significant economic support to Russia, with trade flourishing since the onset of the conflict. In their concluding communique on Wednesday, the 32 NATO members expressed “deep concern” over Beijing's burgeoning partnership with Moscow. They proclaimed China as a “decisive facilitator” of Russia's war in Ukraine through its proclaimed ‘no limits’ partnership and extensive backing of Russia's defense industry. “This exacerbates the threat posed by Russia to its neighbors and Euro-Atlantic security,” the members emphasized, urging China to “terminate all material and political assistance to Russia's war efforts.” They added that Beijing could not support the largest war in recent European history without adverse repercussions on its interests and reputation. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg asserted that China supplies Russia with equipment, microelectronics, and tools enabling the production of missiles, bombs, aircraft, and weapons used in the Ukrainian conflict. This explicit condemnation by all NATO allies in a unified document reflected a first. Nonetheless, Beijing’s spokesperson disregarded the critique, stating, “China did not instigate the Ukraine crisis.” “The NATO summit declaration in Washington abounds with Cold War mentality, aggressive rhetoric, and the China-related content is replete with provocations, falsehoods, incitements, and slander,” the official contended. They affirmed that China's fundamental stance is to “promote peace talks and political resolution,” referring to a 12-point peace proposal issued over a year ago by Beijing outlining general principles for ending the conflict, which received a lukewarm reception at the time in Russia and Ukraine. This year's NATO declaration reiterated that China poses “systemic challenges” to Euro-Atlantic security due to sustained malicious online activities, including disinformation campaigns. Concerns were raised over China's space capabilities and activities, warning of rapid expansion and diversification of its nuclear arsenal. As Rachel Rizzo, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center, highlighted, NATO perceives China not as a threat but as a challenge. The alliance's focus on China is about responding to its political, economic, and technological incursions into Europe, rather than expanding operational theaters. Participants in the NATO summit included leaders and representatives from the alliance's Asia Pacific partners - Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. These Asian nations have intensified cooperation with NATO amid growing apprehensions over China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The final declaration affirmed the importance of Asia Pacific partners to NATO and emphasized enhanced dialogue to address cross-regional challenges. Plans for collaborative projects include supporting Ukraine, strengthening cyber-defense, combating misinformation, and advancing artificial intelligence to bolster shared security interests.