The question has long divided its members: Should NATO broaden its focus to China? For several years, the White House has been asking other members of the Atlantic alliance to support its own strategic pivot to the Indo-Pacific. In Washington, the hegemonic ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party, particularly with regard to control of Taiwan, are more worrying than Russia’s claims.
This was without taking into account China’s growing support for Moscow. In its summit communiqué held from July 9 to 11, NATO noted that “the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is now playing a decisive role in Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called ‘limitless’ partnership and the broad support it provides to the Russian defense industrial base.”
In the process, the Alliance calls on Beijing “to stop transferring dual-use goods, such as weapons components, equipment and raw materials, which are then used by the Russian defense sector”. And it denounces, on the part of Russia and China, “hybrid, cyber, space and other malicious threats and activities, which are the work of state and non-state actors”.
The tone is much firmer than at the Brussels summit in 2021, where NATO described China’s declared ambitions as “systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and in areas of importance to the security of the Alliance.” And much more specific than in Vilnius in 2023, where there was no question yet of the substantial assistance provided to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
“Cold War mentality”
China has denounced a “Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric.” But it does not hesitate to carry out maneuvers near the NATO border. The same week as the Washington summit, Chinese soldiers participated in military exercises in Belarus near Polish territory with units of this ally, one of Moscow’s closest – the Russian army used Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine and continues to use it for bombing.
It remains to be seen whether NATO, beyond increasingly firm statements towards China, will give in to the American demand for an active role, even minimal, in Asia. Having become the 32nd member of the Alliance in March, Sweden has given its support to the project of opening a NATO office in Japan, if only to give assurances to the American ally. But other members are opposed to it, starting with France, out of concern to avoid increasing tensions with China. In the years to come, if Beijing and Moscow deepen their alignment, it could be useful to review this position.