Head of NATO Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, he upped the ante against China’s alignment with Russia, criticizing Beijing for “oppressing its own people” and threatening Taiwan.
Speaking at the closing press conference after the NATO summit, Stoltenberg reinforced NATO’s latest labeling of China as a “decisive facilitator” of Russia’s war against Ukraine, which was amplified in NATO leaders’ statement a day ago.
When asked about China’s ongoing military exercise with Belarus, Stoltenberg said: “The Chinese exercise together with Belarusian forces… only confirms how authoritarian regimes are increasingly aligning themselves, and also how China is moving closer of NATO, in Europe, in Africa and the Arctic and elsewhere.”
The Sino-Belarusian anti-terrorism exercises, held not far from the border with NATO ally Poland, coincide with the NATO summit.
“We need to remember what kind of regime we are talking about,” Stoltenberg said. “We are talking about authoritarian regimes. China is oppressing its own people, repressing democratic voices… in Hong Kong, more assertive behavior in the South China Sea, threatening neighbors, threatening Taiwan.
“And China is conducting a huge military expansion without any transparency and investing heavily in modern missiles. [and] nuclear weapons,” he added.
In an emailed response to POLITICO, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “noted” the joint exercises between China and Belarus.
“We have been closely monitoring ongoing military cooperation between Belarus and China for years, recognizing its potential impact on Poland’s security,” he said on Wednesday. “We are concerned about China’s deepening military cooperation with Russia and Belarus – countries involved in aggression against Ukraine.”
The Polish authorities added that these actions “multiply the threats in our neighborhood” and “call into question China’s attempts to position itself as a neutral state in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”.
