NATO leaders declare China a security challenge

Heads of state express concern about ‘coercive policies,’ disinformation

NATO leaders on Monday declared China a constant security challenge and said the Chinese are working to undermine global order, a message in sync with U.S. President Joe Biden’s efforts to get allies to speak out with a more unified voice against China’s trade, military and human rights practices.

In a summit statement, the leaders said China’s goals and “assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security.”

While the 30 heads of state and government avoided calling China a rival, they expressed concern about what they said were its “coercive policies,” the opaque ways it is modernizing its armed forces and its use of disinformation.

They called on Beijing to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system.

Biden, who arrived at the summit after three days of consulting with Group of Seven allies in England, pushed for the G7 communique there that called out what it said were forced labour practices and other human rights violations impacting Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province. The president said he was satisfied with the communique, although differences remain among the allies about how forcefully to criticize Beijing.

Biden has also used his eightday trip to Europe to urge allies to work more closely in pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin over his government’s treatment of political dissidents and to do more to stem cyber attacks originating from Russia that have targeted private companies and governments around the globe.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an alliance of European and North American countries formed after the Second World War as a bulwark against Russian aggression.

The new Brussels communique states that the NATO nations “will engage China with a view to defending the security interests of the alliance.”

But as Biden faced with the G7 communique, some allies bristled at the NATO effort to speak out on China.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said NATO’s decision to name China as a threat “shouldn’t be overstated” because Beijing, like Russia, is also a partner in some areas. China is Germany’s top trading partner and is heavily dependent on Russia in fulfilling the country’s energy needs. Merkel noted that “when you look at the cyber threats, the hybrid threats, when you look at the co-operation between Russia and China, you can’t just ignore China.”

She added it was important to “find the right balance” as China is a partner on many issues.