After Russia Now NATO To Enter Asia-Pacifc To Target China

Author : GreatGameIndia | Editor : Anty | April 13, 2022 at 05:17 AM

In Brussels, NATO and its Asia-Pacific allies—Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea—discussed international support for Ukraine. After Russia, now NATO is set to enter the Asia-Pacifc with the aim of targeting China.

In view of Beijing’s expanding power and coercion, as well as its refusal to criticize Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has declared that it will commence intervening in the Asia-Pacific area both practically and politically.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the international consequences of Ukrainian crisis had prompted the organization to significantly up its involvement with Asia-Pacific allies for the first time during the session of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs on April 7.

“We have seen that China is unwilling to condemn Russia’s aggression. And Beijing has joined Moscow in questioning the right of nations to choose their own path,” Stoltenberg said. “This is a serious challenge to us all. And it makes it even more important that we stand together to protect our values.”

In Brussels, NATO and its Asia-Pacific allies—Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea—discussed international support for Ukraine.

The assembled foreign ministers concurred, according to Stoltenberg, that NATO’s upcoming Strategic Concept briefing, which is anticipated to be finalized in time for the Madrid Summit in June, should indeed produce a response on how they will correspond to Russia in the future and how, for the very first time, they will take into account how China’s increasing impact and forceful policies impact their security.

“NATO and our Asia-Pacific partners have now agreed to step up our practical and political cooperation in several areas, including cyber, new technology, and countering disinformation,” he said. “We will also work more closely together in other areas such as maritime security, climate change, and resilience. Because global challenges demand global solutions.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg holds a news conference during a NATO summit to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium, on March 24, 2022. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

Australia Announces NATO Cooperation

The revelation of the Pacific involvement emerges as Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that her country will work with NATO to help the organization better manage hybrid threats and disinformation while also reaffirming Australia’s commitment to NATO.

On April 7, Payne announced that Australia would collaborate with the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (SCCE) to improve Australia’s understanding of the strategic communications and security problems that NATO, its allies, and partners face.

“The importance of improving strategic communications has been underscored by Russia’s use of disinformation and propaganda during its illegal and unprovoked war against Ukraine,” Payne said. “We will offer the Centre a clear-eyed view of the geostrategic dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and its implications for NATO.”

The SCCE is an international military organization based in Riga, Latvia, which has been recognized by NATO but is not part of the NATO Command Structure. Its primary goal is to contribute to the enhancement of strategic communications abilities between NATO member states and other allies.

Australia is a NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner, which implies it works to improve interoperability, participate in NATO military training and exercise routines, and exchange intelligence on mutually beneficial problems.

According to Payne, the collaboration would begin with the posting of an Australian official to the SCCE, after which Australia will cooperate to counter disinformation as well as other hybrid challenges.