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Senior NATO official warns of China’s ‘shocking’ military advances
June 25 2021
NATO’s highest-ranking military official has highlighted the “shocking” speed of China’s military modernization and warned of its growing diplomatic presence abroad as the alliance prepares to take a more assertive stance toward Beijing.
Comments from Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach highlight the wide range of security challenges China poses as alliance members struggle to move beyond a threat diagnosis toward an agreed plan of action.
“It is quite shocking how quickly China has built ships, how much China has modernized its air force, how much it has invested in cybernetics and other forms of information management, not least in facial recognition,” said Peach, who will resign on Friday. after three years as head of the NATO military committee, in an interview with the Financial Times before his departure.
“I think it is very important to be attentive to that. What do you do if you are a leader in China with a great modernized powerful force? You deploy it, you move it, “he said, adding that there is” additional work required “among the 30 NATO member states to decide what China’s military ambitions mean for the alliance.
NATO leaders first warned last week that China posed “systemic challenges” to the rules-based international order, perpetrating disinformation, cooperating with Russia and expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Peach pointed out how Beijing had extended its diplomatic reach through outposts like its “huge” embassy in Brussels, which is also the main EU headquarters, where NATO is headquartered.
“It has these large embassy footprints now with very large defense sections, often populated by general officers. And then just watch, as I would observe after almost 50 years of service, what is this all for? ” I ask.
Brussels has become a center of concern around Chinese espionage activities and influence operations. Last year, Belgium’s security agency accused Fraser Cameron, a Brussels thinker who had previously worked for the European Commission and British intelligence agency MI6, of being involved in an alleged Chinese influence buying operation.
Cameron has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations “ridiculous.” Since then, Belgium has declined to comment further on the case and has not pressed charges in connection with it.
China’s mission to the EU said in a statement that military exchanges and cooperation with other countries were an “important part of China’s overall diplomacy” and that Beijing “is actively developing constructive military relations with other countries.”
Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach noted how Beijing had extended its diplomatic reach through outposts such as its ‘huge’ embassy in Brussels © PAPeach, who was previously chief of defense staff for the UK armed forces before being appointed to NATO, said he had noticed that Beijing’s joint operations with Moscow evolved from being “relatively minor” to involving “large exercises. and training opportunities “in recent years. But he dismissed any suggestion that the two countries head toward a strategic partnership.
The air chief marshal hinted that instead, as the melting of Arctic ice opens up a northern sea lane, which will accelerate the sea passage from China to Europe and open access to unexploited mineral and energy supplies, it could unleash the competition between the two powers. Moscow is already opening new military facilities in the Arctic, while China has declared itself a “nation close to the Arctic.”
“I can’t see long-term harmony between China and Russia in the Arctic,” Peach said.
insider-voice.com
June 25 2021
NATO’s highest-ranking military official has highlighted the “shocking” speed of China’s military modernization and warned of its growing diplomatic presence abroad as the alliance prepares to take a more assertive stance toward Beijing.
Comments from Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach highlight the wide range of security challenges China poses as alliance members struggle to move beyond a threat diagnosis toward an agreed plan of action.
“It is quite shocking how quickly China has built ships, how much China has modernized its air force, how much it has invested in cybernetics and other forms of information management, not least in facial recognition,” said Peach, who will resign on Friday. after three years as head of the NATO military committee, in an interview with the Financial Times before his departure.
“I think it is very important to be attentive to that. What do you do if you are a leader in China with a great modernized powerful force? You deploy it, you move it, “he said, adding that there is” additional work required “among the 30 NATO member states to decide what China’s military ambitions mean for the alliance.
NATO leaders first warned last week that China posed “systemic challenges” to the rules-based international order, perpetrating disinformation, cooperating with Russia and expanding its nuclear arsenal.
But critics say the alliance has yet to develop a detailed China strategy, in part because it is internally divided and lacks tools to deal with concerns such as Chinese involvement in European strategic infrastructure.
Peach pointed out how Beijing had extended its diplomatic reach through outposts like its “huge” embassy in Brussels, which is also the main EU headquarters, where NATO is headquartered.
“It has these large embassy footprints now with very large defense sections, often populated by general officers. And then just watch, as I would observe after almost 50 years of service, what is this all for? ” I ask.
Brussels has become a center of concern around Chinese espionage activities and influence operations. Last year, Belgium’s security agency accused Fraser Cameron, a Brussels thinker who had previously worked for the European Commission and British intelligence agency MI6, of being involved in an alleged Chinese influence buying operation.
Cameron has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations “ridiculous.” Since then, Belgium has declined to comment further on the case and has not pressed charges in connection with it.
China’s mission to the EU said in a statement that military exchanges and cooperation with other countries were an “important part of China’s overall diplomacy” and that Beijing “is actively developing constructive military relations with other countries.”
Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach noted how Beijing had extended its diplomatic reach through outposts such as its ‘huge’ embassy in Brussels © PAPeach, who was previously chief of defense staff for the UK armed forces before being appointed to NATO, said he had noticed that Beijing’s joint operations with Moscow evolved from being “relatively minor” to involving “large exercises. and training opportunities “in recent years. But he dismissed any suggestion that the two countries head toward a strategic partnership.
The air chief marshal hinted that instead, as the melting of Arctic ice opens up a northern sea lane, which will accelerate the sea passage from China to Europe and open access to unexploited mineral and energy supplies, it could unleash the competition between the two powers. Moscow is already opening new military facilities in the Arctic, while China has declared itself a “nation close to the Arctic.”
“I can’t see long-term harmony between China and Russia in the Arctic,” Peach said.
Senior NATO official warns of China's 'shocking' military advances - Insider Voice
NATO’s highest-ranking military official has highlighted the “shocking” speed of China’s military modernization and warned of its growing diplomatic presence abroad as the alliance prepares to take a more assertive stance toward Beijing. Comments from Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach highlight...
insider-voice.com
