NATO warns China: Stop enabling war in Ukraine or face consequences | World News

Washington: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in its most explicit and detailed reference to China to date, called Beijing a “key enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine and warned that China would have “negative consequences” for its interests and reputation if it did not “cease all political and material support” to the Russian war effort.

The Washington Summit Declaration, issued in the US capital on the occasion of NATO’s 75th anniversary, strongly reaffirmed the importance of the transatlantic military alliance against the backdrop of domestic and foreign strategic challenges. It also included a series of new announcements in support of Ukraine and criticized Moscow for its continued aggression.

The statement was notable, however, for its emphasis on China, another sign that the Moscow-Beijing alliance has, from the Western perspective, led to an increasing merging of the European and Indo-Pacific theatres. The closer partnership between China and Russia is also of great interest to India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Moscow was seen, among other things, as a result of the need to work with Russia to ensure that the new partnership does not undermine the old partnership in the context of India-China tensions.

At the beginning of the declaration, the NATO states categorically stated: “The declared ambitions and coercive actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continue to endanger our interests, our security and our values. The deepening of the strategic partnership between Russia and the PRC and their mutually reinforcing attempts to undermine and reshape the rules-based international order are a cause for deep concern.”

Further down in the text, the Washington statement, while holding Russia “solely responsible” for the war in Ukraine, says: “The People’s Republic of China has become a key sponsor of Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called borderless partnership and its extensive support of the Russian arms industry. This increases the threat Russia poses to its neighbors and to Euro-Atlantic security.”

The statement calls on China, as a responsible member of the UN Security Council, to stop all support for Russia. It specifically states: “This includes the transfer of dual-use materials such as weapons components, equipment and raw materials that serve as inputs for the Russian defense sector. The People’s Republic of China cannot allow the largest war in Europe in recent history without negatively affecting its interests and reputation.”

Over the past six months, senior U.S. officials – including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and U.S. intelligence chief Avril Haines – have said that China’s support played a key role in changing the dynamics of the battlefield in Ukraine and giving Moscow a boost. The United States has also sanctioned Chinese companies that export dual-use materials to Russia.

Citing the evolution of US-led NATO – a 32-member coalition founded in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union – and the blurring of traditional geopolitical boundaries, the statement says China poses “systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.” It then goes on to outline the specific reasons why China’s behavior is causing concern.

“We have observed continued malicious cyber and hybrid activities, including disinformation, emanating from the PRC… We are concerned about developments in the PRC’s space capabilities and activities… The PRC continues to rapidly expand and diversify its nuclear arsenal with more warheads and a greater number of sophisticated delivery systems…” the statement said.

Against this backdrop, NATO has called on China to uphold its commitment to act responsibly in cyberspace, promote responsible behaviour in space and engage in strategic risk reduction discussions. While the statement says the Alliance remains open to constructive engagement with China, it warns: “We are strengthening our shared awareness, improving our resilience and preparedness, and protecting ourselves against the PRC’s coercive tactics and efforts to divide the Alliance.”

The statement also acknowledged the presence of the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea at the summit. This is the third consecutive year that America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific have attended a NATO summit. This outcome is seen as directly linked to the borderless partnership between China and Russia announced in February 2022. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned in an address to the US Congress earlier this year that China was closely monitoring the war in Ukraine and that what was happening in Europe today could happen in Asia tomorrow.

“The Indo-Pacific is important to NATO because developments in this region directly affect Euro-Atlantic security. We welcome the continued contributions of our Asia-Pacific partners to Euro-Atlantic security. We are strengthening dialogue to address cross-regional challenges and enhancing our practical cooperation,” the statement said, adding that specific areas of cooperation included supporting Ukraine, cyber defense, and countering disinformation and technology.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden met with leaders of Indo-Pacific countries who had traveled to Washington DC for the summit. A White House statement said the leaders “discussed the increasing connectivity between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security, recognizing that challenges in one region impact the other.”

Biden welcomed the “courageous support” of Ukraine by NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners. The heads of state also condemned North Korea and China’s support for Russia.