NATO Declares China Security Risk For The First Time
NATO - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has, for the first time officially declared China a legitimate security threat for its buildup of nuclear weapons and 'assertive behavior'.
During a press conference, the Secretary General Of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg stated that China now has the largest navy in the world, is amassing nuclear weapons and is investing in 'disruptive technologies' such as face recognition.
Stoltenberg said, "This is changing the nature of warfare in a way that we have hardly seen before, perhaps never seen before, and this affects our security. 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".
"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." Stoltenberg continued.
Stoltenberg pointed out that China and Russia had carried out joint military exercises in the North Atlantic, carried out cyberattacks and was 'controlling infrastructure in Africa'.
He stated, "We need to address the challenges that the rise of China poses to our security, even though a lot of allies have economic ties with China. It’s not either or".
China has been increasingly, and alarmingly building military infrastructure in Africa, which has worried military analysts due to China's growing naval access to the Atlantic.
China has also been sending a continued barrage of military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone, the latest being a record breaking 28 military planes and jets.
The increasing number of incursions has caused concern that they may be attempting to wear the Taiwan military's response time down in preparation for an invasion on the island, which China claims as theirs.