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In first, NATO lays out ‘challenges’ from China

NATO on Wednesday, for the first time in its guiding blueprint, said China’s might challenges the alliance and Beijing’s closer ties to Moscow went against Western interests.

“The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values,” NATO’s strategic concept published at a summit in Madrid said.

“It strives to subvert the rulesbased international order, including in the space, cyber and maritime domains.”

NATO accused China of targeting NATO members with its “malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric.”

Leading NATO power the United States has pushed for the alliance to pay greater attention to China, despite reluctance from some allies to switch attention away from its focus on Europe.

NATO’s guiding document — updated for the first time since 2010 — said Russia was the “most significant and direct threat to allies’ security” after its invasion of Ukraine.

And it said that increasingly close ties between Moscow and Beijing “run counter to our values and interests.” In a sign of the increasing concerns about China, the leaders from regional partners Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand were attending a NATO summit for the first time.

“China is substantially building up its military forces, including nuclear weapons, bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said.

“China is not our adversary. But we must be clear eyed about the serious challenges it represents.”

World

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2022-07-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-07-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://ktimes.pressreader.com/article/282106345332515

The Korea Times Co.