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| Nato summit: Nato must face up to China's rise, alliance chief says | Nato summit: Nato must face up to China's rise, alliance chief says |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance didn't want a Cold War with China | Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the military alliance didn't want a Cold War with China |
| The head of Nato has urged members to respond to China's rise ahead of a key summit designed to shore up US support for the western alliance. | |
| Nato leaders are expected to issue a statement branding China a security risk after they meet in Belgium on Monday. | Nato leaders are expected to issue a statement branding China a security risk after they meet in Belgium on Monday. |
| Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the summit was a "pivotal moment" for the alliance. | Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the summit was a "pivotal moment" for the alliance. |
| It is US President Joe Biden's first Nato meeting since taking office. | It is US President Joe Biden's first Nato meeting since taking office. |
| Nato is a powerful political and military alliance between 30 European and North American countries. It was established after World War Two in response to the expansion of the Soviet Union. | Nato is a powerful political and military alliance between 30 European and North American countries. It was established after World War Two in response to the expansion of the Soviet Union. |
| In recent years, the alliance has come under strain as leaders have debated its purpose and funding. | In recent years, the alliance has come under strain as leaders have debated its purpose and funding. |
| Tensions grew during the presidency of Donald Trump, who complained about his country's financial contributions to the alliance and questioned US commitment to defend European partners. | Tensions grew during the presidency of Donald Trump, who complained about his country's financial contributions to the alliance and questioned US commitment to defend European partners. |
| But in contrast, his successor Joe Biden has sought to reassert American backing for the 72-year-old alliance. | |
| Biden says America is back at the table | Biden says America is back at the table |
| Nato: US and Europe are safer standing together | |
| US imposes sanctions on Turkey over Russia weapons | |
| "I want to make it clear: Nato is critically important for US interests," Mr Biden said as he arrived at the summit on Monday. | |
| He said his country had a "sacred obligation" to observe Article 5 of Nato's founding treaty, which commits members to defend each other from attack. | |
| President Biden called Nato critically important for US interests | |
| President Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the Nato talks would focus on collective security, including standing up to China and its rapid military rise. | |
| "We're not entering a new Cold War and China is not our adversary, not our enemy," Mr Stoltenberg told reporters at Nato headquarters ahead of the summit. | "We're not entering a new Cold War and China is not our adversary, not our enemy," Mr Stoltenberg told reporters at Nato headquarters ahead of the summit. |
| "But we need to address together, as the alliance, the challenges that the rise of China poses to our security." | "But we need to address together, as the alliance, the challenges that the rise of China poses to our security." |
| Climate change, cyber-security, Russia, and the withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan - the alliance's longest overseas deployment - will also be on the agenda. | Climate change, cyber-security, Russia, and the withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan - the alliance's longest overseas deployment - will also be on the agenda. |
| Why is Nato focusing on China? | Why is Nato focusing on China? |
| China is one of the world's leading economic and military powers, whose ruling Communist Party has a tight grip on politics, daily life and much of society. | |
| Nato has become increasingly concerned about the growing military capabilities of China, which it sees as a threat to the security and democratic values of its members. | Nato has become increasingly concerned about the growing military capabilities of China, which it sees as a threat to the security and democratic values of its members. |
| In recent years, the alliance has grown wary of China's activities in Africa, where it has set up army bases, and joint military exercises with Russia. | In recent years, the alliance has grown wary of China's activities in Africa, where it has set up army bases, and joint military exercises with Russia. |
| What is Nato? | What is Nato? |
| The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, known as Nato, is the world's most powerful regional defence alliance | The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, known as Nato, is the world's most powerful regional defence alliance |
| It was set up in 1949, after World War Two, to counter the threat of communist expansion | It was set up in 1949, after World War Two, to counter the threat of communist expansion |
| It was founded on the principle of collective defence between allies | It was founded on the principle of collective defence between allies |
| It originally had 12 members, but now has 30 | It originally had 12 members, but now has 30 |
| Read more about Nato | Read more about Nato |
| Nato explained in 80 seconds | Nato explained in 80 seconds |
| On Monday, Mr Stoltenberg said China was "coming closer" to Nato in terms of its economic, military and technological capabilities. | On Monday, Mr Stoltenberg said China was "coming closer" to Nato in terms of its economic, military and technological capabilities. |
| That assessment was echoed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said there is a need to manage the challenges posed by China. | That assessment was echoed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said there is a need to manage the challenges posed by China. |
| "When it comes to China, I don't think anybody around the table wants to descend into a new Cold War with China," Mr Johnson said on arrival at the Nato summit. | "When it comes to China, I don't think anybody around the table wants to descend into a new Cold War with China," Mr Johnson said on arrival at the Nato summit. |
| Diplomats told Reuters news agency that the Nato summit's final statement - known as a communique - would not call China an adversary. However, it will refer to China as a "systemic" challenge to the security of Nato members, Reuters reported. | Diplomats told Reuters news agency that the Nato summit's final statement - known as a communique - would not call China an adversary. However, it will refer to China as a "systemic" challenge to the security of Nato members, Reuters reported. |
| "China will feature in the (Nato) communique in a more robust way than we've ever seen before," said Mr Sullivan, President Biden's top security adviser. | "China will feature in the (Nato) communique in a more robust way than we've ever seen before," said Mr Sullivan, President Biden's top security adviser. |
| Nato's tough message on China followed criticism of the country by the G7, a group of major economies that met for a summit in England last week. | Nato's tough message on China followed criticism of the country by the G7, a group of major economies that met for a summit in England last week. |
| In a communique G7 leaders scolded China over alleged human rights abuses and demanded a transparent investigation of the origins of Covid-19 in the country. | In a communique G7 leaders scolded China over alleged human rights abuses and demanded a transparent investigation of the origins of Covid-19 in the country. |
| In response, China accused the G7 of "lies, rumours and baseless accusations" in a statement through its embassy in the UK. | In response, China accused the G7 of "lies, rumours and baseless accusations" in a statement through its embassy in the UK. |