NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, raised concerns on Tuesday about China’s buildup of weapons and military exercises near Taiwan.
“China is supporting Russia’s efforts. China is rapidly building up its armed forces, including its navy,” Rutte told journalists during his first visit to Japan since taking office as NATO Secretary General.
“We cannot be naive, and we must work together to assess what is happening,” added NATO’s chief from the Japanese naval base in Yokosuka.
Rutte’s comments follow a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting last week, where the alliance’s chief emphasized that global security threats are more interconnected than ever, and that increasing defense spending is key to ensuring NATO’s security.
“We are seeing what China is doing,” he said, also mentioning that Russia is working with North Koreans, Chinese, and Iranians.
The former Dutch prime minister also said that NATO is concerned about China’s military exercises near Taiwan and that “we are closely monitoring them.”
The United States wants NATO members to become more involved in the Indo-Pacific region, Rutte further stated.
