NATO Explicitly Mentions China's 'Structural Challenge' for the First Time... "Urges North Korea CVID Negotiations with the U.S."

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo Yoo-jin] The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on the 14th (local time) defined China's military rise as a 'systemic challenge,' marking a shift to a confrontational stance. This is the first time NATO has formalized its stance to check China using such strong language.

After the NATO summit held in Brussels, Belgium, the leaders of the 30 NATO member countries stated in a joint declaration that "China poses a systemic challenge to the rules-based international order and areas related to alliance security." They also added, "China's growing influence and international policies may pose challenges that we need to address together as an alliance." Following the concerns expressed about China in terms of human rights and infrastructure at the earlier Group of Seven (G7) summit, this time NATO strongly checked China's threat from a military perspective.

Photo by AP

This statement marks a significant change from two years ago when China was referred to as 'both an opportunity and a challenge.' In the 2019 joint declaration, NATO specified that "China's growing influence and international policies are not only an opportunity but also a challenge that we need to address together as an alliance."

Foreign media have interpreted this as a dramatic shift in NATO's perception of China and have evaluated it as a diplomatic victory for U.S. President Joe Biden, who has urged a united front against China. The Washington Post described it as "(the establishment of a joint stance on China) being a victory for President Biden, who attended a NATO meeting for the first time since taking office," and added, "(As a result) NATO leaders have shifted to a more confrontational stance toward China."

The British BBC cited 'China's lack of transparency and use of disinformation' as reasons for NATO's focus on China, while also noting that NATO has been paying attention to China's military expansion, such as establishing its first naval base in East Africa in recent years. Last year, China made significant investments in Djibouti, a strategic point in East Africa, creating a permanent military facility capable of docking two aircraft carriers. U.S. authorities believe China is considering expanding naval facilities not only in Djibouti but also in Gwadar Port in western Pakistan and parts of South America.

The White House announced that the Biden administration has begun preparing NATO's 'new strategic concept' aimed at countering China, to be adopted at next year's NATO summit. It is expected that this U.S. move will have a considerable impact on Asian countries. The White House's mention of 'Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea' as countries with which partnerships should be deepened further underscores this point.

NATO also expressed support for the goal of 'complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization' (CVID) of North Korea and urged meaningful negotiations with the United States to achieve this. It called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear forces, ballistic missiles, and related programs. The absence of any mention of North Korea in the joint declaration two years ago suggests that this statement reflects the influence of President Biden, who attended the meeting for the first time.

Photo by Reuters

However, the U.S. stance on China was not fully reflected in the G7 and NATO meetings. After the G7 summit, President Biden expressed some regret in a press conference when asked if he wished the joint declaration had been stronger on China, answering affirmatively. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated before the summit that NATO would not engage in a new Cold War with China and that China is not an enemy, but emphasized, "We need to address together the challenges posed by China's rise to our security."

Some leaders also stressed a cautious approach. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that relations with China involve both risks and rewards and added, "I don't think anyone wants a new Cold War with China." German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged China's military rise as a problem but insisted that the door to dialogue must remain open. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that focusing too much on China should not cause NATO to overlook urgent issues it faces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.