China Tests Missile, NATO Secretary General Says 'We Cannot Be Naive About China'

(Central News Agency, London, July 7) China test-fired a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile, reportedly capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, into the Pacific Ocean on July 6. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that this demonstrates "we cannot be naive about China."

Stoltenberg made the remarks at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on July 6, ahead of the NATO summit to be held there from July 7 to 8, in response to questions from various media outlets.

An Australian journalist inquired about China's confirmation of its missile test in the South Pacific, and whether NATO planned to discuss China's actions during the summit, given the intention of NATO's four Asia-Pacific partners (IP4) – Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand – to do so. The journalist also questioned why only a few IP4 countries had leaders attending the summit for the second consecutive year.

This year, only South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung is attending the NATO summit, with other IP4 countries sending ministerial-level officials. South Korea will also play a key role in the "Defense Industry Forum" at the NATO summit, which begins today. Last year, only New Zealand had a leader attend the NATO summit.

Stoltenberg first addressed the IP4 attendance, emphasizing that NATO's cooperation with the IP4 is "very close," including at the leadership level.

Stoltenberg then shifted the topic, mentioning that he had exchanged text messages with Japanese Defense Minister Ichiro Kono on the afternoon of July 6 to discuss China's missile test activities in the Pacific.

Stoltenberg stressed that such developments "prove one fact, that we cannot be naive about China," and this is why NATO and the IP4 cooperate so closely, because "the degree to which theaters are intertwined and connected is increasing."

Regarding events in the Indo-Pacific region, Stoltenberg reiterated that they are closely related to events in the transatlantic region (i.e., between Europe and North America).

Furthermore, Stoltenberg stated that, as seen in the war in Ukraine, "China, North Korea, and Iran are key enablers of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," which once again proves that NATO and its allies and partners must never be naive about China.

Although Stoltenberg mentioned he and Kono exchanged messages to discuss China's missile test activities in the Pacific, Kono will represent Japan at the summit. The detail of the message exchange reveals the closeness of communication between NATO, starting from the Secretary General level, and the IP4 countries.

Beijing has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with NATO's "hegemonic expansion" and "malicious interference" in regional affairs in the Indo-Pacific. However, Stoltenberg's remarks reflect that NATO's closer engagement with the IP4 is related to China's increasingly assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.

In addition, the roles played by China and North Korea in the Ukraine war not only challenge European security but also highlight the trans-regional nature of security issues.

Meanwhile, regarding media concerns about a reduction in U.S. military deployments in Europe, Stoltenberg mentioned that the U.S. is reassessing what resources it can actually provide to NATO in the event of "conflicts erupting simultaneously in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic region."

Stoltenberg pointed out that the U.S. believes that confirming in advance what resources countries can rely on when necessary will help NATO become stronger.

Stoltenberg's remarks indicate that NATO has not ruled out the possibility of simultaneous conflicts in the Pacific and Atlantic regions, and the United States, which has security commitments in both the Indo-Pacific and European regions, may face difficult dual pressures. (Editor: Tian Ruihua) 0707

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download the CNA "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

This website's text, images, and videos may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.