The China discussion marks a shift to a tougher line on the challenges and threats it poses, especially among foreign ministers from countries that have had many conflicts in the past. such as Italy, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, some call for less talk and more action to build a China strategy.
Areas of concern include screening investment to protect key industries, infrastructure, cyber, technology and intellectual property, especially as countries are feeling the reach China at home and fear the West could fall behind in key areas such as artificial intelligence.
The focus is on resilience, with some members focusing on maritime security, some focusing on energy security, some focusing on export controls and others focusing on security. networks and misinformation.
These are obviously discussions encouraged by the Biden administration, but now they’ve fallen into more fertile ground. At the same time, the countries emphasized that they do not intend to consider China as an opponent like Russia or NATO for military involvement in the Indo-Pacific.
There was also discussion of the challenges that Xi Jinping, China’s leader, is currently facing, with widespread protests against “no COVID” rules and restrictions, not to mention the relationship between the two countries. threat to economic growth due to the blockade.
In his closing press conference, Mr. Stoltenberg said that although NATO is an alliance of Europe and North America, “the challenges we face are global”. China is not an adversary, he said, and “we will continue to cooperate with China when it is in our interests, at least to convey our unified stance on the war against China.” Russian legitimacy in Ukraine.”
China is Russia’s most powerful strategic partner and has aligned itself with the country during the war. During his meeting with Mr. Biden this month in Bali, Indonesia, Mr. Xi showed no intention of creating distance between him and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
