US Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), told reporters at a virtual meeting that “China could be a peaceful partner, a good trade partner, but they’re not showing that right now, and I think NATO partners are looking at this, and NATO is beginning to assess what China is doing as well.”
Responding to China’s growing aggression with its neighbours like Japan and India and other territories like Taiwan, Kay Bailey Hutchison insisted that “It’s much more on our radar screen, and I think it should be because we should assess the risk, hope for the best but prepare for the worst,”
Hutchison remarked that “So we know that China has the capability to compete on a level playing field, and we’re asking them to do that, but we’re also turning a wary eye to their behaviour right now in the South China Sea, militarizing islands that they said would never be done, as well as the clampdown on Hong Kong.”
When the representative was asked if an actual military confrontation was on the horizon, she replied, “I think NATO is now looking to the East.”
NATOs 5G battle with China
The 5G network battle between the US and China that has been making headlines since more than a year is being dealt within the US and Europe throughout the alliance, Hutchison reminded. The US stands firm that China had stolen intellectual property, violated tariff and subsidies set down by the world courts and the World Trade Organization.
“We’re trying to keep our communications secure and seeing that some of the Chinese competitors do not have the capability to control the contractual obligations that are made by communications providers – all of those things, including the Belt and Road Initiative, are raising concerns, concerns among our allies, about what is the intent of China,” said the representative.
NATOs Tale with China
About a week ago, NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician had warned about China’s increasing influence in geopolitics that has led to a “fundamental shift in the global balance of power”.
“One thing is clear: China is coming ever closer to Europe’s doorstep,” he told German media and continued that “NATO allies must face this challenge together.” Stoltenberg had also mentioned that China’s growing presence in the seas neighbouring the country as “worrying” and called China to respect international shipping rules.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying had replied to the comments by the NATO secretary-general and said that Beijing does not pose a threat to any country. “We hope that NATO can continue to hold a correct opinion about us and view our development rationally,” China responded earlier this week.
