NATO Announces New PRIORITY – Look What it Is
(ConservativeHub.com) – World leaders meeting at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, decided to update the Strategic Concept, which had not seen a refresh since 2010. They added concerns about Russia and China, focusing on the threat posed by China’s recent aggression and support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. NATO leaders believe the nation is growing too strong and has no regard for the global community.
Remarks from Leaders
NATO named China a strategic priority for the first time last week. On June 29, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg laid out the underlying issues involving China. He stated the nation is building nuclear weapon stockpiles without proper oversight or transparency and failing to engage in good-faith practices. At the same time, the country is reportedly increasing its military forces and acting aggressively towards Taiwan.
There are also concerns about China’s treatment of its citizens. Stoltenberg said the government controls individuals with technology.
In addition, Stoltenberg addressed the country’s relationship with Russia. So far, China has refused to denounce the Kremlin’s aggression in Ukraine. He said China is helping Russia to spread misinformation about the conflict.
Stoltenberg stated NATO has to work on building security against the Chinese and ensure there are consequences to actions that threaten members. He asserted that China is not an enemy, but that it poses “challenges” to NATO.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned the relationship between China and Russia is a security threat to allies. Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged diplomacy in dealing with China but recognizes the dangers the country poses as it becomes more assertive.
According to Aljazeera, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss spoke at another event, where she said it was important for China to be kept in check, lest it get the “wrong idea” from Russia’s war on Ukraine. She’s concerned the conflict will push them to make a move against Taiwan.
The Chinese Reaction
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused NATO of having “Cold War mentality” and promoting aggression toward the nation. He said NATO is distorting the truth and being irresponsible with its messages.
The Summit
The summit included non-member nations in parts of Europe and the Indo-Pacific that expressed concerns about Russia and China this year, including leaders from Japan, Ukraine, South Korea, and Australia.
While the summit attendees agreed Russia still poses the most pressing current threat, China is high on the list of concerns. The partnering of the two nations is drawing extreme criticism and requires continued monitoring. Still, the leaders don’t want to alienate China. They all agreed to remain engaged with the nation over important issues.
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