NATO cannot afford to be “naive” about China’s military development as security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and Europe become increasingly interconnected, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said ahead of the alliance’s summit in Ankara, Turkey.
Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Monday, Rutte highlighted China’s recent submarine-based missile test as an indication of Beijing’s expanding military capabilities. He said NATO’s closer cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners was necessary because developments in one region increasingly affect security dynamics in another.
Rutte said he had already discussed the issue with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi following China’s launch of what Beijing described as a “strategic missile” from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific. The test, which carried a dummy warhead, was the first known submarine-based missile test by China since 1982.
“This is why we have this close cooperation, because these theatres are getting more intertwined, connected,” Rutte said. “What happens in the Indo-Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic.”
He also pointed to the war in Ukraine as evidence of growing links between regional security challenges. According to Rutte, China, North Korea and Iran have become key enablers of Russia’s military campaign through various forms of support.
While Beijing has maintained that it remains neutral in the Ukraine war, it has faced accusations of providing Russia with dual-use technology and equipment, including microelectronics, advanced machine tools, drone components and raw materials.
China and Russia have also continued joint military activities. On June 27, more than 10 Chinese and Russian aircraft conducted a joint strategic air patrol over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the Western Pacific, prompting South Korea and Japan to scramble fighter jets.
A Reuters report last week also said a Russian military delegation had travelled to China in November to participate in training exercises at People’s Liberation Army facilities focused on radiological, chemical and biological warfare. The report cited a classified Russian document referring to an internal decree issued by Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov.
Rutte said NATO members must continue strengthening their defence capabilities while ensuring Ukraine receives the support it needs. He urged alliance members to increase defence spending to improve burden-sharing and reinforce long-term security commitments.
The NATO chief also played down concerns over the absence of most leaders from the alliance’s Indo-Pacific Four partners — Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea — at this week’s summit. He said NATO maintained “very close cooperation” with the four countries, although only South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was expected to attend in Ankara.
The summit is expected to focus on plans to meet NATO’s defence spending target of five per cent of GDP, agreed at last year’s meeting in The Hague. Rutte said NATO members and Canada were already investing around four per cent of GDP in defence after one year of a decade-long effort that includes nearly 20 per cent more spending on core defence capabilities.
He said European allies and Canada were developing stronger military capabilities that would place them on a path towards matching US defence spending. Rutte added that allies were also assuming greater leadership roles within NATO’s command structure and increasing support for Ukraine.
The higher defence spending target was introduced after US President Donald Trump pressured European allies to take greater responsibility for their own security. Responding to questions about whether Washington’s pressure would strengthen or weaken NATO, Rutte said the reassessment of defence commitments would make the alliance stronger.
He described the ongoing changes within NATO as “transformational”, arguing that they would make the alliance more sustainable in addressing potential future conflicts involving multiple regions.
