China also threatens Europe. He doesn’t do things by halves Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, in view of the threat posed by the Beijing-Moscow alliance. For this reason, the leader of the Atlantic Alliance calls on the other Western countries to face the war and financial crisis we are facing with more strength and unity. Because China’s growing assertiveness and its cooperation with Russia threaten not only Asia, but also Europe. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who asked for closer cooperation and more “friends” for NATO in the Indo-Pacific region. “The fact that Russia and China are growing closer, and China’s significant investments and new advanced military capabilities underscore that China poses a threat, a challenge even to NATO allies,” Stoltenberg said in a speech at Tokyo’s Keio University adding that “security is not regional but global”. “NATO needs to make sure it has friends” and “it’s important to work more closely with our partners in the Indo-Pacific,” he said again. Stoltenberg said China is investing more in nuclear weapons and long-range missiles without offering transparency or meaningful dialogue on nuclear arms control, while increasing coercion from its neighbors and threats against Taiwan, an island it claims as its own territory.
Stoltenberg said China is increasingly cooperating with Russia and leading an “authoritarian push” against the rules-based, open and democratic international order. NATO does not view China as an adversary or seek a confrontation, but he clarified, guaranteeing that the alliance will continue to engage with China on areas of common interest, such as climate change. Stoltenberg and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks on Tuesday and agreed to deepen their partnership in cybersecurity, space, defense and other fields. In addition to Japan, NATO is increasing “practical cooperation” with Australia, New Zealand and South Korea in maritime cybersecurity and other areas, and increasing the participation of their leaders and ministers in NATO meetings. On Tuesday, Kishida announced Japan’s intention to open a representative office with NATO.
Japan, already a close ally of the United States, has increased military ties with other Indo-Pacific nations as well as Britain, Europe and NATO in recent years after facing mounting security threats from China and North Korea. Tokyo quickly joined US-led economic sanctions against Russia’s war in Ukraine, providing Ukrainians with humanitarian aid and non-war defense equipment. Japan fears Russian aggression in Europe could be mirrored in Asia, where concerns are growing over Chinese assertiveness and escalating tensions over Taiwan’s claim. Stoltenberg arrived in Japan from South Korea late Monday, where he asked Seoul to provide direct military support to Ukraine to help it counter a protracted Russian invasion. North Korea has condemned Stoltenberg’s visits to South Korea and Japan, saying NATO is trying to put its “military boots in the region” to pressure America’s Asian allies to supply Ukraine with arms Nato and US allies in Asia as a process to create an “Asian version of NATO” and said this would increase tensions in the region.