Emphasizing The Importance Of Cooperation In Indo-Pacific, Secretary-General Of NATO: World Answeres That Are More Hazardous And Unpredictable

JAKARTA - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of cooperation in the military alliance with partners in the Indo-Pacific on Wednesday, saying Europe cannot ignore what is happening in East Asia because global security is interrelated.

"Working with partners around the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific, is part of the answer to a more dangerous and unpredictable world," Stoltenberg said at an event organized by Keio University in Tokyo, Japan.

"The war in Ukraine shows how security is interconnected. This shows that what is happening in Europe has consequences for East Asia, and what is happening in East Asia is important for Europe," he said.

Stoltenberg made the comments as part of a visit to Japan, in which he pledged to strengthen ties with Tokyo to navigate an increasingly tense security environment, triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its growing military cooperation with China.

While he said China was not an enemy, NATO chiefs said the country was becoming an "increasingly authoritarian force" that showed firm behavior, threatened Taiwan, and developed military capabilities that could also reach NATO countries.

"We are very ready to further strengthen and expand partnerships with countries in the region," he said.

Separately, China rejected Stoltenberg's claim, saying China has always been a defender of peace and stability.

"On the one hand, NATO claims that its position as a regional defense alliance remains unchanged, while on the other hand, it continues to break through traditional defense zones and territories, continuing to strengthen military security ties with Asian-Pacific countries and exaggerate China's threats," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning criticized., in a routine briefing held Wednesday.

"I want to emphasize, Asia-Pacific is not a battlefield for geopolitical competition and confrontation between camps and Cold War mentality is not welcome," said Mao Ning.

China has criticized NATO's efforts to expand its alliance in Asia. Russia, which calls its invasion of Ukraine a "special operation", has repeatedly viewed NATO's expansion as a security threat.

Before stopping in Japan, Stoltenberg visited South Korea and urged Seoul to increase military support for Ukraine, providing similar warnings about rising tensions with China.