Confronting China a big challenge for NATO, says expert

As far as China is concerned, India, NATO, the US and the European countries seem to be on the same page but it can't be negated that dealing or confronting China against its authoritarian system will be a big dilemma and challenge for NATO as a large number of countries are so heavily invested in China, says former Indian diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar in an interview to ETV Bharat's senior correspondent Chandrakala Choudhury.

New Delhi: The NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) summit has not been of any importance for India so far. But, the new summit that took place in Brussels on Monday, holds immense significance for India this time, as the NATO leaders took a tough line against China’s authoritarianism and growing military might. Even if India is not a part of NATO, the strategies discussed in the summit is likely to have a far-reaching impact on India’s foreign as well as defence policy in the new geopolitical context.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Ashok Sajjanhar, India’s former ambassador to Latvia and Sweden and who has worked in diplomatic positions in Washington DC, Brussels and Moscow, said, "As far as China is concerned, India, NATO, the US and the European countries seem to be on the same page. They are not on the same page as far as countering Russia is concerned but definitely in terms of countering China. India is a little ahead of NATO, EU and the US in terms of its keenness and desire to restraint China’s increasing aggressiveness and assertiveness. In that context, there are many possibilities that both India and NATO can work together closely”.

“NATO‘s chief Jens Stoltenberg, while participating in the Raisina dialogue held in India a few months ago, had mentioned that he would very much welcome stronger collaboration with India. India of course, does not wish to become a member of NATO but would work towards increasing its partnership, training and other cooperation and I think, that has a good future”, he added.

During the NATO summit held on Monday, the allies called on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system. The Heads of State and Government of the 30 NATO allies in Brussels declared that China’s growing influence and international policies present challenges to alliance security and designated the country as presenting ‘systemic challenges’.

"China's stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and areas relevant to alliance security," NATO leaders said in a communique after their summit.

The NATO leaders ‘primarily focused on countering China and agreed to address the threat posed by China together as an alliance. Besides China, the leaders agreed on a set of proposals under the NATO 2030 banner, covering a range of issues, including the protection of critical infrastructure, promoting innovation, boosting partnerships, and making the fight against climate change an important task for NATO for the first time.

NATO’s role in tackling China

When asked about going ahead with NATO’s role in tackling the security threat posed by China, Sajjanhar, underlined that dealing or confronting China will be a big dilemma and challenge for NATO.

“NATO was created to deal with the Soviet Union. With the Soviet Union, the West, Europe and the United States did not have very significant economic cooperation and partnership. The same is not true for China as most of the countries are very heavily invested in China. The German, Italian, French or British companies are present in China in a very big way. Similarly, Chinese companies are also present in these countries in a very big way. All these countries are ‘joint at the hip’ with China, so for them to get out of the relationship with China will prove to be difficult”, he added.

However, China’s influence is growing as we have seen in the “17+1” cooperation project between China and Central and Eastern European Countries or China’s attempt to sign the comprehensive agreement on investment on December 30, 2020, which was also an attempt to create stress and cause phishers in the Transatlantic alliance between Europe and the United States, he reiterated.

China is trying to send across a message that its authoritarian system is better than the Democratic system. Therefore, China is expanding and enhancing its influence around the world. So, it is a challenge to the democratic way of life, pluralism, international rules-based order and this is what the EU countries, other NATO member countries have to realize and push back against China, Sajjanhar explained.

“China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal with more warheads and a larger number of sophisticated delivery systems. It is opaque in implementing its military modernisation. It is cooperating militarily with Russia, including exercises in the Euro-Atlantic area. We also remain concerned about China’s use of disinformation. NATO leaders called on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system including space, cyber and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power”, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a press conference after the summit.

Earlier on Monday, before the summit, Stoltenberg said that there is no new cold war with China but the western allies will have to adapt to the challenge of Beijing’s rise.

Commenting on the matter, Sajjanhar said, “I don’t think, we can expect a cold war of a similar nature that existed between the United States and Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991 because China and the West are very closely integrated in terms of trade, investments. So I don’t think that a cold war of the nature of the post-second world war and before the disintegration of the Soviet Union is possible. However, the West will have to rise to the challenges that China presents”.

The West will have to push back China’s economic strength, political, military heft and muscle. The first decision has been taken by the launch of B3W (Build Back Better World), which has been initiated by the US but adopted by the G7 countries. In that context, India has huge experience in terms of building infrastructure not only within its borders but many other countries including Bhutan, Nepal, Africa, Afghanistan Iraq etc. B3W is going to be a vital platform, he pointed out.