NATO discussed the challenges on Wednesday that China sets in the long term for “our interests, values and safety”.
The treaty organization does, however, consider the country “not an opponent,” said Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Bucharest after two days of meetings between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States.
“We will stay in conversation with China if that is in our interest,” says Stoltenberg. “Not in the least to convey our united position on the Russian war in Ukraine.” He said that the ministers discussed the “ambitious military developments, technological progress and growing cyber and hybrid activities” of China on Wednesday.
“The war in Ukraine has demonstrated our dangerous dependence on Russian gas,” he stressed. “This should also cause us to view our dependence on other authoritarian regimes, particularly China, for our supply chains, technology or infrastructure.”
He also said that NATO would continue to expand economic relationships and trade with China. “But we must be aware of independence,” said Stoltenberg too. “We have to limit our vulnerabilities and manage the risks.”