BEIJING – NATO is a regional alliance for defence with a clearly defined scope of mission and geographic boundaries, and it needs to stop finding fault with China at every turn, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

China is a force for world peace and never threatens anyone, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily press briefing, adding that NATO should discard the outdated Cold War mentality, adjust its perceptions of China, and stop hyping up the so-called China threat narratives.