China watches and learns: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has raised fears in Japan that China may dare to do the same to Taiwan. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, writes Bloomberg.
"If President Putin wins in Ukraine, it will signal that authoritarian regimes can achieve their goals through brute force. It is dangerous. What is happening today in Europe may happen in East Asia tomorrow," Stoltenberg said.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sparked fears in Japan that China might dare to do the same to Taiwan, which Tokyo sees as directly affecting its own security.
Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO and Japan agree that "transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security are deeply interconnected," adding that "what happens in this region matters to the Alliance."
European allies are increasingly aware of the growing security threat that China represents in various areas, especially in the long term, writes Bloomberg. The NATO secretary general has repeatedly warned about China's efforts to build up its military and nuclear weapons, as well as what he called intimidating behavior toward its neighbors and attempts to control critical infrastructure while spreading disinformation about the alliance.
"We have confirmed that we will bring cooperation between Japan and NATO to a new level, in particular, due to the development of cyber communications. We welcome NATO's interest and involvement in the Indo-Pacific region,” Kishida said.
The Prime Minister added that Japan will create a NATO representation and consider the possibility of regular participation in various meetings of the North Atlantic Alliance.
In a joint statement outlining plans to intensify cooperation between NATO and Japan, Stoltenberg and Kishida emphasized "concern about growing military cooperation between Russia and China," including through joint operations and exercises near Japan. They also said they "strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea," calling for "a peaceful solution to issues on both sides of the strait."
The war between the United States and China - what they say
As previously reported, the head of the US Air Mobility Command, General Mike Minigan, believes that the US and China will probably go to war in 2025. The reason may be the conflict over Taiwan. Earlier, the commander of US Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday, predicted that a conflict between China and Taiwan could begin in the coming years.
Beijing considers Taiwan its territory and is convinced that the US should maintain only unofficial contacts with this self-governing island. The situation around Taiwan escalated in 2022 due to a visit there by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. In response to this visit, China broke off dialogue with the US in the military and climate spheres, and imposed sanctions against Pelosi and her closest relatives.
In October, China said it reserved the right to use force to resolve the Taiwan issue. China has also conducted military exercises around Taiwan, which the island's authorities have described as a simulated attack. Director General of Taiwan's National Security Bureau, Chen Ming-Tung, noted that China is studying Russia's experience in waging a hybrid war against Ukraine.
As for the war in Ukraine, after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, China officially took a neutral position and called for an end to hostilities and the beginning of a peaceful dialogue.
Recently, the new Chinese ambassador to the European Union, Fu Cun, said that the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine put China "in a very difficult position" and "greatly strained" relations with Europe. Beijing found itself in a situation where it is necessary to "choose between friends."
