NATO chief stresses importance of Indo-Pacific partners amid security tensions

TOKYO, February 1 – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today stressed the importance of close cooperation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, as global security is interconnected. , said Europe cannot ignore what is happening in East Asia.

“Working with partners around the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, is part of our answer to a more dangerous and unpredictable world,” Stoltenberg said at an event hosted by Keio University.

“The war in Ukraine shows how interconnected security is. What happens in Europe affects East Asia, and what happens in East Asia shows how important it is for Europe. “The idea that China is not important to NATO does not work,” he added.

Stoltenberg made this comment as part of his visit to Japan, during which he said he was working to strengthen relations with Tokyo in order to navigate an increasingly tense security environment caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increased military cooperation with China. promised to strengthen the

He said China was not a hostile state, but that it is becoming an “increasingly authoritarian power” that has shown aggressive behavior, threatened Taiwan and developed military capabilities that can reach even NATO countries. He said that

“We are ready to further strengthen and expand our partnerships with countries in the region,” he added.

Before stopping in Japan, Stoltenberg visited South Korea, urging South Korea to increase its military support to Ukraine, and issued similar warnings about rising tensions with China.

China has criticized NATO’s efforts to expand its alliance in Asia. Russia, which calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special operation”, has repeatedly claimed Nazi expansion as a threat to its security. — Reuters