Borrell: NATO has enough challenges without China
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EU policy chief Josep Borrel says that NATO was not conceived to operate in the Pacific.
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EU high-representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says that the NATO alliance already has "enough threats and challenges" and was not created to operate in the Pacific Ocean, referring to China.
In an interview with Politico, Borell said "Certainly one can consider other threats and challenges. But [for] the time being, don’t you think that we have enough threats and challenges on the traditional scenario of NATO?"
Read more: US expects NATO to have 'strong' language on China - White House
"NATO was not conceived for operations in the Pacific Ocean."
Last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Beijing was seeking to tighten its grip over critical infrastructure, supply chains, and the crucial industrial sectors of Western countries.
According to the new NATO Strategic Concept, adopted in June, China poses a threat to the interests and values of the alliance. The previous concept, published in 2010, did not mention China.
The newly adopted 2022 NATO Strategic Concept adopted earlier in June, China was dubbed a "challenge" to the interests, security, and values of the coalition's member states.
Europeans will have to face the music and do more
Politico added that NATO's foreign ministers will be holding discussions regarding the alliance's policies towards China during the upcoming summit in Bucharest on 29-30 November.
Borrell also warned that "an unspoken truth is that, to reinforce Taiwan", the US will be unable to "reinforce permanently in Europe," which would lead Europeans to "have to face the music and do more."
The news website also cited an anonymous EU senior official stating that the UK is pushing NATO to focus on China only because it is "in need of some multilateral framework after Brexit".
Read more: Leaked German draft of new China protectionist strategy raises concern
Earlier last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that NATO needs to adhere to its geographic bounds and not exceed its alliance's authority by imposing its own rules and views on other states, which it has been doing since the conclusion of the Cold War.
Zhao added that bringing ideological differences and value systems and stirring up divide in economic cooperation will only bring about harmful consequences to the common interests of the international community while also "backfire[ing]".
