Bilateral meeting between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of the United States, Joe Biden June 14, 2021 in Brussels, Belgium. (Credit nato.int)

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

China’s growing influence and international policies present challenges to Alliance security that need to be addressed, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.   The NATO chief made the comments following the meeting of NATO heads of state and government.  Stoltenberg also stated that NATO’s relationship with Russia is at its “lowest point since the Cold War.  And Moscow’s aggressive actions are a threat to our security.” But it appeared China was a major focus of Monday’s summit.

“At the Summit today, we also addressed China. There is a strong convergence of views among Allies. Based on our interests, we see opportunities to engage on issues such as arms control and climate change.  But China’s growing influence and international policies present challenges to Alliance security. Leaders agreed that we need to address such challenges together as an Alliance. And that we need to engage with China to defend our security interests. We are concerned by China’s coercive policies which stand in contrast to the fundamental values enshrined in the Washington Treaty. China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal with more warheads and a larger number of sophisticated delivery systems. It is opaque in implementing its military modernisation. It is cooperating militarily with Russia, including through exercises in the Euro-Atlantic area. We also remain concerned about China’s use of disinformation. NATO leaders called on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system. Including in space, cyber and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power.”

-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 

NATO Heads of State and Government  agreed a set of proposals under the NATO 2030 banner, covering a range of issues, including the protection of “critical infrastructure, promoting innovation, boosting partnerships, and making the fight against climate change an important task for NATO for the first time.”   The  NATO chief said Allies also agreed to keep defence investments up, with 2021 due to be the seventh consecutive year of rising defence budgets across European Allies and Canada. The Summit also took decisions on enhancing the capabilities to defend against cyberattacks and reaffirmed the Allies’ commitment to Afghanistan.  

“A strong NATO is good for Europe, but is also good for America”  -NATO Secretary-General 

U.S. President Joe Biden wholeheartedly agreed with Stoltenberg’s declaration at the  Summit that a strong NATO is good from Europe, but is also good for America. President Biden said that not only was  “very good for America.  It’s essential for America.”   It was quite evident that President Biden is a breath of fresh air among NATO leaders compared to the  former U.S.  prez Trump who did not hide his contempt for the  Alliance. 

Bilateral meeting between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of the United States, Joe Biden at Summit in Brussels June 14, 2021. (Nato.int)

“And I know that — that no other major power has as many friends and allies as United States has in NATO.  So I know that we can count on America and that America can count on Europe.”

-NATO Secretary-General Stolenberg

President Biden Praises NATO Stoltenberg’s “Incredible” Leadership 

“And thank you for your incredible leadership over the years.  I really mean this: You have been incredible.  I — quite frankly, we have competent people coming, but I wish you weren’t leaving, because — and, no, I really mean it — you have been absolutely incredible and you’ve been strong.  You’ve been — you’ve been able to pull people together.  And I think that there is a growing recognition over the last couple of years that we have new challenges.  And we have Russia that is not acting in a way that is consistent with what we had hoped, and — as well as China.”

U.S. President  Biden