Blinken says NATO concerned by China's 'rapid' military buildup & cooperation with Russia

After the Pentagon released its report on China's expanding weapons, NATO allies raised concerns regarding Beijing's rapid and opaque military buildup and its cooperation with Russia. According to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, the allies discussed the measures to address the military challenges posed by China during the NATO foreign ministers' two-day meetings in Bucharest.

In its annual report to Congress on China's ambitious military build-up, the Pentagon claimed that over the next decade, China aims to modernise, diversify, and expand its nuclear forces. "China is expanding its nuclear arsenal and is likely to have a stockpile of about 1,500 warheads by 2035, up from the current estimated number of 400," the Pentagon said. According to the report, China is focusing on developing its nuclear capabilities as it seeks to challenge America's global dominance.

During the news conference on November 30, Blinken said, "The members of our alliance remain concerned by the People’s Republic of China's coercive policies, by its use of disinformation, by its rapid, opaque military buildup, including its cooperation with Russia." The allies discussed their commitment towards a constructive dialogue with China wherever they can and continued to welcome opportunities to work in cooperation on common challenges. 

NATO to continue its unified support for Ukraine, says Blinken

The concerns come amid the increasing ties between China and Russia. During the conference, Blinken expressed concerns over Russian and Chinese strategic warplanes, including Tupolev-95 long-range “Bear” bombers that conducted military exercises over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. Following this, South Korea scrambled fighter jets as two Chinese and six Russian warplanes entered its air defense zone.

Furthermore, Blinken shared that NATO would continue its unified support for Ukraine and would boost measures for the upcoming challenges, including those that are posed by China. Stressing on the resilience that NATO would work on, he said, “What we talked about today is, again, making sure that we are working to adapt in concrete ways to meet the challenge.”

"We’re meeting at a critical juncture.  As Ukraine continues to seize momentum on the battlefield, President Putin has focused his ire and his fire on Ukraine’s civilian population.  Over the past several weeks, Russia has bombed out more than a third of Ukraine’s energy system, plunging millions into cold, into darkness, as frigid temperatures set in.  Heat, water, electricity – for children, for the elderly, for the sick – these are President Putin’s new targets.  He’s hitting them hard," he said.

Blinken also affirmed that NATO would continue to find ways to cooperate on the really big issues. In February, just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, both China and Russia announced a “no limits” strategic partnership which alarmed the United States.