While the US-Turkey tussle could be a major stumbling block before NATO, there is another vital factor that seems to have been glossed over by the western military alliance.
China was a major focus of the NATO Summit held in Brussels last month. The concluding statement of the summit noted, “China’s stated ambitions and assertive behavior present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to Alliance security.”
Pointing to the rapidly increasing military capabilities of China, NATO chief Jens Stoltenburg warned that China was “coming closer” to NATO in military and technological terms.
China is also the focus of NATO’s new ‘Strategic Concept 2030’, replacing Russia as the largest military competitor of the group, reported Nikkei Asia.
In its last Strategic Concept issued in 2010, China did not even find a mention. In order to counter China, NATO seems to prioritize cohesion and unity to foster the political strength in the alliance. Läs artikel