NATO leaders on Wednesday voiced significant concerns over China’s increasing collaboration with Russia, accusing Beijing of playing a crucial role in supporting Moscow’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.
In a declaration issued during their summit in Washington, NATO leaders stated, “China has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called ‘no limits’ partnership and its large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base.”
The alliance called on China to “cease all material and political support to Russia’s war effort,” specifying that this includes the transfer of dual-use materials such as weapons components, equipment, and raw materials that bolster Russia’s defense sector.
NATO emphasized that China “cannot enable the largest war in Europe in recent history without this negatively impacting its interests and reputation.”
This statement precedes the participation of leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, who are set to attend the NATO summit on Thursday. This marks the third consecutive year that leaders from the four Asia-Pacific partners will be present at a NATO summit.
Beijing has swiftly rejected the accusations from NATO, asserting that the US-led alliance is seeking an excuse to expand its influence eastwards.
For years, the United States has urged its European allies to pay closer attention to the threats posed by China.
“I think the message sent from NATO from this summit is very strong and very clear, and we are clearly defining China’s responsibility when it comes to enabling Russia’s war,” said NATO’s outgoing Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
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