Kaja Kallas Warns:
"China-Russia Alliance Is the Greatest Challenge of Our Time"
Calls for Europe-Asia Pacific Cooperation Against Security Threats
On the 31st (local time), Kaja Kallas, the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, spoke about the alliance between China and Russia and called for cooperation between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
According to AFP and Bloomberg, High Representative Kallas, targeting the alliance between China and Russia at the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, described it as "the greatest challenge of our time."
She stated, "We should be extremely concerned when China and Russia are driving changes together that we have not seen in the past 100 years and are attempting to alter the global security order."
She added, "Eighty percent of dual-use items (goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes) used in the war in Ukraine are made in China." By saying this, she effectively argued that China is supporting Russia's war.
Referring to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's warning about the threat posed by China at the same meeting earlier that day, High Representative Kallas stated, "If you are concerned about China, you should also be concerned about Russia."
She went on to propose that European and Asian countries cooperate to track the "shadow fleet" and review maritime security laws. The "shadow fleet" refers to oil tankers that Russia is believed to be operating to evade international sanctions following the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, regarding the U.S. demand for increased defense spending, she said, "There are many countries in Europe, and some of them have long believed that defense investment should be increased."
She emphasized, "It is good that we are doing more, but I want to stress that the security of Europe and the Pacific are very closely interconnected."
Previously, President Emmanuel Macron of France also stressed at this meeting that Europe and Asia must unite.
President Macron said the previous day, "The division between the superpowers, the United States and China, is the greatest risk the world currently faces," and added, "Europe and Indo-Pacific countries, which share a common interest in preventing the collapse of the world order, must build a new alliance."
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