WASHINGTON: NATO leaders has said Beijing’s deepening relations with Moscow are a cause of “deep concern” and accused China of playing a key role in helping Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Beijing “has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called ‘no limits’ partnership and its large-scale help for Russia’s defense industrial base,” NATO leaders said in a declaration from their summit in Washington.
NATO leaders urged Beijing “to cease all material and political support to Moscow’s war effort.” Washington: NATO leaders on Wednesday said China’s deepening ties with Russia are a cause of “deep concern” and accused Beijing of playing a key role in helping Moscow’s assault on Ukraine.
China “has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine through its so-called ‘no limits’ partnership and its large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base,” NATO leaders said in a declaration from their summit in Washington. They urged Beijing “to cease all material and political support to Moscow’s war effort.” The alliance leaders said that Beijing cannot enable the largest war in Europe in recent history without this negatively effects on its interests and reputation.
The development came before the leaders of Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea are set to attend the NATO summit on Thursday. The US represents the third year in a row that leaders from the four Asia-Pacific allies will be at a NATO summit.
China has already angrily dismissed the allegations from NATO, and says the US-led alliance is seeking an excuse to extend its influence eastwards. The US has been pushing its European partners for years to pay closer attention to the threats posed by Beijing.
NATO’s outgoing Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that he thought the message sent from NATO from this summit was very strong and very clear, and they were clearly defining Beijing’s responsibility when it comes to enabling Moscow’s war.
