NATO’s all 32 allies gathered together at the 75th-anniversary summit in Washington on Wednesday, July 10. The members have confirmed that they have begun transferring F-16 jets to Ukraine upon promises of eventual membership for Kyiv. In a highlight of the summit, NATO members called China a ‘decisive enabler’ amid Russia’s war against Ukraine and agreed that its growing ties with Moscow are a cause of deep concern for all members due to China’s nuclear arsenal.
Concerns Around China’s Nuclear Arsenal And Capabilities In Space
The Final Communique at the summit at the US capital highlighted great concerns regarding Beijing’s abundance of nuclear armaments along with its capabilities in space. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the NATO summit is clear and strong in defining China’s responsibility for enabling Russia’s war against Ukraine. Leaders have accused Beijing of helping Moscow in its assault on Ukraine. Members also mentioned China’s ‘no limits’ partnership and large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base, while urging China to cease all material and political support to Russia’s war efforts.
Beijing Rejects Claims Saying NATO Filled with Cold-War Mentality
China’s contribution to the war includes the transfer of dual-use materials such as weapons components and equipment along with raw materials that serve as inputs for Russia’s defense sector. Beijing then claimed that it did not provide Russia with any direct military trade and mentioned only the maintenance of strong trade ties with the neighbor throughout more than two years of its conflict with Ukraine. China’s foreign ministry condemned NATO’s fuelled interest in Asia and urged the alliance to stay out of the Asia-Pacific region. Beijing’s mission to the EU has claimed that the NATO summit is filled with a cold-war mentality and a ‘belligerent rhetoric’.
Members Point Out China’s Attempt At Divide-And-Conquer
The final communique has also made accusations of the growing nuclear arsenal in China, with the involvement of more warheads along with malicious cyber and hybrid activities in the region, emphasizing the nation’s attempt at ‘divide-and-conquer’. Beijing has expressed fury at the accusations from the summit and has rejected all of them. For a third year in a row, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, the four Asia-Pacific partners have partnered up for the NATO summit talks on Thursday, July 11.