NATO "Concerns Over Dependence on China's Supply Chain... Vulnerabilities Must Be Addressed"

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has warned that increasing dependence on China in areas such as infrastructure and supply chains could pose a security threat.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, said in a speech at the 68th NATO Parliamentary Assembly annual meeting held in Madrid, Spain, on the 21st (local time), "We must be especially careful not to develop new dependencies on China." He explained, "China's efforts to control critical infrastructure, supply chains, and key industrial sectors are increasing," adding, "China's rare earth minerals are present in everything from our mobile phones and cars to military equipment." He also stated, "Authoritarian regimes must not exploit our vulnerabilities and be given opportunities to weaken us."

After the speech, Secretary General Stoltenberg cited the example of the Russian gas supply cut-off during a Q&A session, emphasizing, "While we will continue trade with China, we must be cautious about vulnerabilities that may arise from dependencies on certain materials."

He also highlighted the significance of China being explicitly mentioned for the first time in NATO's history in the '2022 Strategic Concept' adopted at the NATO summit last June, saying, "These issues are generally considered economic or trade matters, but because they have a direct impact on our security, they must be addressed as NATO allies."

However, he positively evaluated the fact that China has not provided military support to Russia during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Regarding Finland and Sweden's NATO membership, Secretary General Stoltenberg said, "It is now time to complete all procedures and warmly welcome Finland and Sweden as full members," urging T?rkiye and Hungary, which have yet to complete ratification procedures, to make a decision.