The relation between the US and China is continuously deteriorating and European nations have raised concerns about economic and security threats from Beijing. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, an alliance of 30 members has asked its allies like the United States to work together in order to tackle the situation.
Antony Blinken, Secretary of State has issued a strong rebuke of Beijing’s heavy use of coercive measures and said that the US would not push its European allies into ‘us or them’ situation. He also added that “the US considers China as an economic and security threat, especially in the realm of technology. There’s no question that Beijing’s coercive behavior threatens our collective security and prosperity and that it is actively working to undercut the rules of the international system and the values we and our allies share,” Blinken said after holding two days of consultations with NATO allies in Brussels.
Blinken said that there is still space to cooperate with China on common challenges like climate change and health security, but called for NATO to stand together when Beijing coerces one of the alliance’s members. He also called out China’s militarization of the South China Sea, use of predatory economics, intellectual property theft, and human rights abuses. European nations have very complex relations with China and many of them don’t align with the policies of the White House. But both EU and the US see the need to navigate the challenge together.
The American diplomat said that working together is the need to reduce the vulnerability by keeping western economies integrated with each other. The United States has condemned China for using repressive ways for the last few years against certain communities and ethnic groups in China, including mass detention and heavy surveillance. The Department of Treasury accused Beijing of detention and torture, including ‘political re-education’ in the country. Blinken’s comments come on the heels of a contentious meeting between Blinken and national security advisor Jake Sullivan and China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi in Alaska. Ahead of the Alaska meeting, Blinken slammed China’s sweeping use of “coercion and aggression” on the international stage and warned that the US will push back if required.
The previous Trump administration had blamed China for many grievances including unfair trade practices and the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. The trade war between China and the US started with a ban on Chinese technology firms working in the United States. On the other hand, European Union has also raised concerns regarding the economic abuses of China and threats to collective security and prosperity of European nations and their allies.
