NATO cannot be 'naive' about China's arms build-up, says Rutte
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday raised concern about China's arms buildup and military drills near Taiwan and called on the 32 alliance's members to work together to keep free and open sea lanes in the region.
'China is supporting Russia's efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters during his first visit to Japan since the beginning of his mandate.
'We cannot be naive, and we really have to work together, assess what is happening,' the NATO chief added from the Japanese navy port of Yokosuka.
Rutte's comments follow a meeting of NATO foreign ministers last week in which the alliance's chief stressed that global security threats are more interconnected than ever and that increasing defence spending is key to ensuring NATO's security.
'We are seeing what China is doing. We're seeing how these two theatres, the inner Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic are getting more and more connected by the fact that the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese, with Iran, so we have to look at all these theatres in conjunction and that will be our focus,' he said.
The former Dutch prime minister also said NATO is worried about China's military exercises near Taiwan, and 'we follow them very closely.'
Japan considers China as a threat in the region and has in recent years accelerated military build-up, including preparing to acquire strike-back capability with long-range cruise missiles.
Japan, in addition to the United States, has expanded its defence ties with other friendly nations in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, as well as NATO, saying Russia's war in Ukraine underscores that security risks in Europe and Asia are inseparable.
The United States wants NATO members to be more involved in the Indo-Pacific region, Rutte said. He welcomed US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth's recent trip to Japan to ensure Washington's commitment to strengthen its alliance with Japan and presence in the region. He stressed its importance, noting that Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven that is not in NATO.
NATO has also strengthened its ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, known as the IP4, in recent years - a move that has been criticised by Beijing, which fears that Washington is seeking to form a NATO-like alliance in the region.
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