The heads of the member states of the Northern Treaty Organization (NATO) have identified China as a global security challenge and expressed concern about the rapid development of missiles.
NATO member states reportedly named China a global security risk in a joint statement at the June 14 meeting in Brussels. Officials also expressed concern that China is quick to build nuclear missiles.
The statement also described China’s rapid missile development as a systematic challenge to international law and the security alliance. Although the 30 leaders of NATO member states failed to identify China as a rival in the declaration, they expressed concern about China’s practices and concerns about the modernization of its armed forces and the dissemination of information.
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The declaration also urged Beijing to abide by international commitments and agreements and to act responsibly.
The statement by NATO leaders on China comes at a time when US President Joe Biden raised concerns about human rights violations in China at the recent G7 summit in England.
At the meeting, Biden urged allies to speak about China’s business practices and its growing military presence. Biden told the meeting that forced labor in China and atrocities against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province were a violation of human rights and violence against minorities.
At the NATO summit in Brussels after Biden’s statements, the allies did not agree on whether to openly criticize Beijing or call it a rival, but the alliance described China’s actions as a threat and a challenge.
