The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which invites Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan to the summit and holds the summit on the 29th and 30th (local time), includes the response to China for the first time in its new strategic concept document. The establishment of a ‘China check system’ of the democratic values alliance encompassing the United States, Europe and Asia has entered the countdown.
Bloomberg News reported that China is expected to be specified as a ‘systemic challenge’ in the document on the new strategy concept to be announced at the NATO summit on the 27th. It is said that Russia, which has been defined as a ‘partner’ so far, is changed to an enemy, but China defines it as a challenge that threatens the international order along with terrorism and food crisis.
However, the tug-of-war continues until just before the NATO summit to be held on the 29th (local time) over how to express the Chinese threat. The United States and Britain emphasized China’s military threat to Taiwan as an ‘urgent challenge’, while Germany and France demanded a cautious expression in consideration of economic relations with China. China protested once morest the participation of Asian countries, including South Korea, at the NATO summit, saying it was ‘NATO expansion’.
● U.S.-UK-EU last minute tug-of-war to express ‘Chinese challenge’
NATO Secretary-General Jans Stoltenberg said at a press conference on the 27th that the new strategic concept would be “for the first time, address the challenges China poses to our security, interests and values.” The New Strategic Concept is a top-level security document that presents the strategic direction NATO will pursue for 10 years until 2032 to 30 allies, including the United States. A strategy concept document comes out every 10 years. NATO defined China as a ‘structural challenge’ in a joint statement at the summit in June last year.
It is known that NATO members differ on the level of expression of the Chinese threat to be included in the New Strategic Concept document. It is known that the United States and the United Kingdom are insisting on strong expressions pointing to China’s rapid militarization and human rights violations targeting Taiwan and other countries. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on the same day that “there is a consensus that the G7 and NATO should take joint action on China’s non-market behavior and human rights issues.” will address the unprecedented threat from China,” he said.
On the other hand, it is reported that Germany and France, the leaders of the European Union (EU), are demanding that a statement expressing their intention to cooperate with China should be included. Some argue that the EU needs an independent strategy for China in consideration of economic relations. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Luther said on the 25th that “the EU must become a geopolitical powerhouse that develops its own policy toward China. .
Secretary-General Stoltenberg told the Financial Times on the same day that he expects to agree on a clear expression of China, but that “China is not the enemy.”
● US “Working with Taiwan to crack down on illegal fishing in China”
The United States is strengthening its response by introducing new Chinese policies every day. President Joe Biden signed a national security memorandum on Chinese illegal fishing in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and the South Pacific on the same day, two days before the opening of the NATO summit. China will strengthen crackdowns on illegal fishing and forced labor, and restrict access to markets for illegally caught fish and seafood. In particular, they signed an agreement with five neighboring countries, including Taiwan and Vietnam, to jointly respond to illegal fishing. As for China, Taiwan is part of China. A clash is unavoidable if the U.S. and Taiwan jointly curb illegal fishing in China. On the same day, the United States also started negotiations on a trade and investment agreement between the United States and Taiwan, which China is opposed to.
China’s state-run Global Times criticized South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand’s participation in the NATO summit on the 28th, saying it would “damage the diplomatic independence of the Asian region and worsen relations with China.” At the Korea-U.S.-Japan summit to be held on the 29th, the NATO summit also warned that “it is a measure to promote NATO’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region” and that “it will worsen Korea-China relations.”
Washington = Byung-ki Moon, Correspondent weappon@donga.com
