French President Emmanuel Macron has downplayed NATO's wording in declaring China a global security challenge, saying it ``must not divert us from the heart of NATO's tasks.''

In a news conference Monday, Macron said: ``I think it is very important not to scatter our efforts and not to have biases in our relation to China. It's much broader than the military topic: It's economic, strategic, about values and technological.''

Macron called for not diverting NATO from its many other challenges, including the fight against terrorism and security issues related to Russia.

China is both a ``major power with which we are working on global issues to move forward together'' and a ``competitor,'' he said.