NATO leaders will issue a severe warning to China to show that security concerns have increased

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then Leaders will issue widespread warnings to China, indicating that Western capitals are increasingly worried about the impact of Beijing’s growing military and economic power on Euro-Atlantic security.

The military alliance summit communique held in Brussels on Monday stated that China’s false information, military cooperation with Russia, and the rapid expansion of its nuclear weapons arsenal pose “systematic challenges” to the “rule-based international order”.

The strength of the statement shows how much the relationship between many Western countries and Beijing has deteriorated in the 18 months since NATO countries issued a cautious statement on China’s “opportunities and challenges” at the last summit.

NATO leaders are planning how to modernize the 72-year-old military alliance originally established by North American and European powers to fight the Soviet Union.

“China’s open ambitions and tough behavior pose a systemic challenge to the rules-based international order and alliance security-related fields,” the communique read by the Financial Times stated that the communiqué will be published on Monday night. Publish later.

“We call on China to abide by its international commitments and act responsibly in the international system, including in the fields of space, cyber, and oceans, in keeping with its role as a major country.”

The communiqué expressed concern about China’s “coercive policy”, the accumulation of nuclear warheads and sophisticated delivery systems, and its participation in Russia’s military exercises in the Euro-Atlantic region. The 30-nation NATO group-which has its own internal divisions on Chinese policy-also said it would engage in a “constructive dialogue” with Beijing “where possible.”

NATO’s profile reflects President Joe Biden’s administration trying to use his first European trip to mobilize allies to counter China. At a summit this weekend, Beijing responded to criticism from the Group of Seven clubs composed of wealthy democracies, accusing the group of “serious intentions” and “artificially creating confrontation and friction.”

The NATO meeting in Brussels coincides with the debate over how the Cold War agreement will modernize itself, as it is preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan in nearly two decades.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the summit will “strengthen” the “technical advantages” of the 30-member organization. Stoltenberg told reporters at the Union headquarters in the suburbs of the Belgian capital: “This is about how to strengthen our collective defense, how to strengthen our resilience and improve our technological advantages.”

US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan told reporters that the heads of state and government are expected to sign a confidential cyber defense strategy, which includes expanding existing powers and invoking NATO’s “Article 5” collective defense principles in the event of a cyber attack. .

“[This] It will enhance the defensive, political and intelligence dimensions of the entire alliance network,” Sullivan said. “In the forthcoming communiqué, we will firmly commit to NATO’s emphasis on cyber deterrence and collective defense. “

Prior to the summit, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson emphasized the importance of allies investing in better cyber defenses after the Covid-19 pandemic, when hostile countries were accused of conducting cyber attacks on their health systems .

Johnson said: “NATO should thank us for the billion people who keep safe every day to adapt and evolve to meet new challenges and respond to emerging threats.”

It is expected that NATO leaders will also promote measures to strengthen collective response to satellite attacks and build capabilities for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, The official added.NATO countries are paying more and more attention to the expanding potential battlefields of conflict, from disinformation wars to the conflict between China and Russia. Outer space.

In addition to facing external threats, NATO also faces some long-term internal differences, especially between Turkey and some member states such as France in the eastern Mediterranean.

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