The recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Madrid and G7 summit held in Germany have exerted pressure on China’s ambitions and “coercive policies” in the Indo-Pacific.
European leaders have grown increasingly wary of China in recent years, and those views have hardened after Beijing has refused to condemn the “Russian invasion of Ukraine,” reported Global Strat View. China has been included in NATO’s “Strategic Concept,” adopted at the bloc’s summit in Madrid, Spain, on June 29-30 for the first time.
It lays out the security challenges facing the 30-country military alliance while outlining a course of action and suggests China’s ambitions and “coercive policies” challenge the allies’ interests, security, and values.
China found a special mention in both the summit’s communique and the ‘Strategic Concept’ document. NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg remarked China is not an adversary, but it does represent serious challenges to the alliance, reported Global Strat View.
He further averred that “China’s growing assertiveness and its coercive policies have consequences for the security of Allies and our partners.” The new Strategic Concept outlines NATO’s transformation in line with the NATO 2030 agenda adopted at the 2021 Summit.
The messaging was clear that in addition to NATO’s “Euro-Atlantic” focus, the alliance is eager to expand its strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific region and tackle the emerging China challenge.
The statement further noted, “We urge NATO to stop provoking confrontation by drawing ideological lines, abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game approach, and stop spreading disinformation and provocative statements against China.”
Meanwhile, the NATO alliance warned that Beijing is working to “subvert the rulesbased international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime domains,” which would have direct strategic implications for the US and its alliance partners in Europe and outside.
Although it was the first-time inclusion of China in NATO’s policy document and the G7’s communique, this trend will continue in future summits as well, reported Global Strat View.
