NATO has changed its position on China

On Monday, NATO’s new summit, a military alliance comprising most Western nations, was held in Brussels, scheduled for the G7, which ends on Sunday. Unlike the G7, whose results were Rather predictable, The Final release There is a significant novelty at the NATO summit: after NATO’s primary focus on Russia for decades, and the choice not to take a common stand on China, for the first time China was clearly identified as an adversary.

“China’s growing influence and foreign policy may pose challenges that we must face together,” the statement said: “Its aspirations and decisive conduct pose a serious threat to the international order and to certain geographical areas of importance to NATO security.”

Two years ago, all observers agreed that the new focus on China, first mentioned in the NATO document in 2019, was accepted under pressure from US President Joe Biden, who made it clear from the outset of his mandate that he considered China a potential adversary rather than Russia, from various angles: trade, military and ideological. Even, giving it its character as a dictatorial regime. The reference to Chinese investment in “important areas” for NATO refers to recent efforts to expand China’s influence. In the Middle East e In North Central Africa, But also known as the New Silk Road, the largest network of international infrastructure, as part of the belt and road initiative in many Western countries.

These are issues that analysts have known for many years, but NATO has so far chosen to ignore because of the very sensible approach of some of its European members, who still adopt a different approach today. This is particularly noticeable in the EU situation, which sees China as an enemy and a key partner in some areas, namely in the fight against climate change, but yesterday with French President Emmanuel Macron and especially German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Russia represents a major challenge. Like the entire Indo-Pacific region, China plays an increasingly large role. Obviously, this is related to the fact that the United States and some NATO partners are not paying attention to the Pacific, ”said Angela Merkel. After four years of highly complicated relations with the Donald Trump administration, many observers have commented that tightening the US position on China is necessary to reconcile with NATO. A European official was contacted Politics He said European nations “understand that China must be part of an” Atlantic Navy “to protect NATO’s importance to the United States.”

Shortly after the final report was released, the Chinese embassy for European companies accused NATO of maintaining a “Cold War approach” and read a post on the Chinese social networking site Weibo. Reported from New York Times.

The next step in finalizing the new approach to China is an update of NATO’s strategic plan, the latest version of which dates back to 2010 and has no reference to the Asian country, and is a popular update Article 5 In NATO’s founding agreement, this is a commitment to mutual protection, including cyber attacks. However, it is unclear how long the two changes will take.

Biden’s government visit to Europe will conclude on Wednesday, March 16 with a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland.