By Zheng Zaixing

郑载兴

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan, trying to strengthen the ties between NATO and Asia-Pacific countries by hyping up regional tensions, and even to build an "Asia-Pacific version of NATO". NATO's attempt is likely to lead to an arms race, posing a threat to regional security and stability.

北约秘书长斯托尔滕贝格不久前到访韩国和日本，试图通过渲染地区紧张局势来强化北约和亚太国家的联系，甚至要打造“亚太版北约”。北约的这一企图有导致军备竞赛的危险，将给地区安全稳定造成威胁。

NATO is a military alliance with distinct exclusiveness led and established by the United States after World War II for the purpose of engaging in bloc confrontation, which aims to create a counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in central and eastern Europe. Today, although the Cold War has long ended, NATO still exists and has been in constant conflict with countries holding different political concepts and systems. With its continuous expansion of influence in the military and security fields in Europe, NATO has promoted several rounds of eastward expansion, which has intensified the conflict with Russia and should be blamed for the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

北约是二战以后美国为了搞集团对抗而主导成立的军事同盟，具有鲜明的排他性。如今，冷战虽早已结束，北约却依然存在，并不断与政治理念和政治制度不同的国家产生矛盾对立。北约持续扩大在欧洲军事和安保领域的影响力，连续推动多轮东扩，激化了同俄罗斯的矛盾，对乌克兰危机的产生负有不可推卸的责任。

In recent years, the United States and the US-led NATO have taken frequent actions in the Asia-Pacific region in an attempt to dominate the regional security architecture. As an extraterritorial organization, NATO has wantonly called for other countries to defend against the so-called "China threat", in an attempt to extend its influence to the Asia-Pacific region, and even to promote the transition of NATO into a global alliance.

近年来，美国及其主导的北约在亚太地区动作频频，试图主导地区安全架构。北约本是域外组织，却肆意制造“中国威胁”，试图将自身影响力延伸到亚太地区，甚至要推动“北约全球化”。

Especially after the Ukraine crisis, NATO has created tension in the Asia-Pacific region, trying to establish a new security alliance with the US Asia-Pacific allies and build an "Asia-Pacific version of NATO".

特别是乌克兰危机发生后，北约在亚太地区制造紧张气氛，试图同美国的亚太盟友建立新的安保联盟，构筑“亚太版北约”。

China, on the other hand, has issued a warning, stressing that the Asia-Pacific region does not welcome the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and urging NATO to have in-deep introspection on what role it has played for European security, instead of trying to mess up the Asia-Pacific region and even the world following the chaos it has made in Europe.

中国已经发出警告，强调亚太不欢迎冷战思维、阵营对抗，北约应当深刻反思其为欧洲安全到底发挥了什么作用，不要搞乱了欧洲，还企图搞乱亚太和世界。

At present, the United States is increasing its pressure on China through the Five Eyes Alliance (FVEY), the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) of the United States, Japan, India and Australia, the trilateral security partnership of the United States, Britain and Australia, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), while promoting the introduction of NATO into the Asia-Pacific region. If Asian countries agree with the relevant US operations and form a new security alliance with NATO in the region, it is highly possible to step towards a "new cold war" in terms of the regional pattern, with security risks on a significant rise. Besides, NATO's expansion of its tentacles to the Asia-Pacific region is also not conducive to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

当前，美国正通过“五眼联盟”、美日印澳“四边机制”、美英澳三边安全伙伴关系、“印太经济框架”等加大对中国的施压，并推动将北约引入亚太。亚洲国家如果配合美国的相关举动，同北约在地区形成新的安保联盟，将导致地区格局向“新冷战”方向演变，安全风险将明显增加。北约将触角伸向亚太，也不利于朝鲜半岛和平稳定。

China has been vigorously promoting world multipolarity and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind and new-type international relations. In dealing with relations with neighboring countries, China has pursuedthe principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendship and partnership with its neighbors, taking the initiative to deepen friendship, mutual trust and interest fusion with its neighbors.

中国积极促进世界多极化，致力于推动构建人类命运共同体、构建新型国际关系。在处理同周边国家关系时，中国坚持亲诚惠容和与邻为善、以邻为伴周边外交方针，主动深化同周边国家友好互信和利益融合。

In China's view, the United States and its allies are ostensibly defending the so-called "rules-based international order", which in essence, is just to safeguard their own interests. China has always opposed the creation of various cliques in the Asia-Pacific region and stressed that all parties should adhere to true multilateralism.

在中国看来，美国及其盟友标榜维护所谓“以规则为基础的国际秩序”，实质上只是为了维护自身利益。中国始终反对在亚太地区打造各类小圈子，强调各方应坚持真正的多边主义。

At present, peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region are facing new situations. In order to effectively respond to various security challenges, including effectively safeguarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, Asia-Pacific countries must adhere to openness and inclusiveness, multilateralism and difference resolution through dialogue and cooperation, instead of pursuing their own absolute security or expanding exclusive military security alliance of any kind.

当前，亚太地区和平稳定面临新形势。为了有效应对各类安全挑战，包括有效维护朝鲜半岛和平稳定，亚太国家必须坚持开放包容，坚持多边主义，通过对话合作来化解分歧，而不应追求自身绝对安全，不应扩张具有排他性的军事安全同盟。

(The author is the director of the Security Strategy Research Office and director of the China Research Centerat the Sejong Institute of the ROK.)

（作者为韩国世宗研究所安全战略研究室室长兼中国研究中心主任）