NATO's expansion into Asia and the growing Chinese threat

"North Atlantic Treaty Organization" (NATO), an international military alliance for the Western world to deal with various threats from the former Soviet Union, since its establishment in the US capital Washington on April 4, 1949, 29 member countries of the United States, Canada and Europe have been involved in the military and security sector from a third country. It is known to play an active role in deterring threats. Although the "Warsaw Pact Organization" established by the Soviet Union against it was disbanded with the end of the Soviet era, "SAA" has been actively participating in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa.

The news about NATO's expansion in Asia actually came out only during the July 2022 Madrid Conference, when Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, which are not members of NATO, participated in the conference. "I didn't realize that Ukraine's day will be East Asia's day," he said. In February 2023, after the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's four-day working visit to Japan and South Korea, this situation received wider media coverage. At that time, there were rumors that the NATO would add new members in Asia, including Australia, Japan, India, and New Zealand. The Chinese government was naturally the first to oppose the issue, concluding that it was an "attempt to put pressure on China". The "World Times" newspaper, which is a carnegie of the Chinese government, quickly commented on this: "NATO's attempt to expand into Asia will undoubtedly bring chaos to the security of the Asian region." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said at a press conference on the matter, "Our country is making efforts for peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. "We firmly oppose NATO's destabilization of Asia." The Chinese government was naturally the first to oppose the issue, concluding that it was an "attempt to put pressure on China". The "World Times" newspaper, which is a carnegie of the Chinese government, quickly commented on this: "NATO's attempt to expand into Asia will undoubtedly bring chaos to the security of the Asian region." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said at a press conference on the matter, "Our country is making efforts for peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. "We firmly oppose NATO's destabilization of Asia." The Chinese government was naturally the first to oppose the issue, concluding that it was an "attempt to put pressure on China". The Chinese government's official "World Times" quickly commented on this: "NATO's attempt to expand into Asia will undoubtedly bring chaos to the security of the Asian region." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said at a press conference on the matter, "Our country is making efforts for peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. "We firmly oppose NATO's destabilization of Asia." "NATO's attempt to expand into Asia will undoubtedly bring chaos to the security of the Asian region," he said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said at a press conference on the matter, "Our country is making efforts for peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. "We firmly oppose NATO's destabilization of Asia." "NATO's attempt to expand into Asia will undoubtedly bring chaos to the security of the Asian region," he said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao said at a press conference on the matter, "Our country is making efforts for peace, cooperation, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific. "We firmly oppose NATO's destabilization of Asia."

However, Matt Pottinger, the former national security adviser of Donald Trump's administration, spoke specifically about the necessity of this new trend in an interview with "Japan Economic News" on May 4. Speaking about this, he said that the western world's relationship with China has always been based on the idea that "if China becomes rich, it will turn to democracy and the rule of law", but even after China becomes rich, it will always follow the belief that "capitalism will be destroyed and socialism will win". He explained that China has become the master of the world and is trying to expand its authoritarian and dictatorial system to the world. In particular, he metaphorically states that “the Western world in the past raised baby sharks and hoped they would grow into dolphins. "This baby shark that we raised has grown up to become a great white shark, not a dolphin." It also shows that China has become the biggest threat to Japan's economic prosperity and Taiwan's peaceful existence.

The U.S. government's growing concern over this kind of Chinese hegemony is naturally reflected in the adoption of some common measures to deal with China, which is becoming a common threat to the Western world. In this case, it is possible to say that the opening of an office in Japan by "SHAAT" is an important step in this trend. But Michael Green, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), believes that rather than expanding NATO directly into Asia, the US-led Quadruple Alliance (QUAD) should be like the United States. Institutionalization is known to be one of the key ideas being put forward. He said: "Some are now advocating the formation of the 'four-nation alliance' as a NATO-like organization. In this, on the basis of mutual agreements and treaties, those who are attacked by any of these four countries will help. However, for various reasons, a collective security mechanism like NATO has never been established in Asia. Because a common belief has never existed between most of these countries in Asia. Although Japan and South Korea are common objects of cooperation for the United States, there is no traditional and true friendship between the two countries. Now, in the case of NATO, which was formed against the former Soviet Union, the vast majority of its member states do not have a need for economic relations with each other. Again, most of these European countries, which are our main allies, are not dealing with the United States, but rather with China more and more closely. Current reality is now urging them to wake up. Japan, Korea and Australia are investing more in the US than in China. If doing business with another country is like dating, investing can be likened to marriage. So this kind of 'love' is always unstable and changeable according to the situation; 'Marriage' is not. However, with such close trade and business relations with China, it is somewhat far from reality that these countries will build a collective security mechanism like NATO in Asia and confront China.

In response to this reality, Chinese opposition intellectual Dr. Yang Jianli, president of the "Civil Power" organization, emphasizes the importance of establishing an economic alliance rather than a political or military alliance like NATO. He believes that over the past few decades, Asian countries have been working according to the pattern of "economically relying on China and relying on the United States for security." At the same time, the fate of these two countries has been partially entrusted to them. But later reality showed that the "trust" for China was very unreliable. He said:

"If we look at it, we can see that after the war in Ukraine, economic factors are turning the world order upside down, especially the world of democracy. In particular, the alliance between China and Russia, and the fact that Europe is heavily dependent on Russia for oil, gas and food, has increased Putin's appetite. Now we can see that China's economic attraction to Asian countries is also increasing Xi Jinping's ambitions. Many Islamic countries in Asia are silent about the massacre of Uyghurs. The reason for this is because it is economically tied to China. As a result, it is becoming clear that the long-held view that ``we will be absolutely safe if we establish military relations with the United States and economic relations with China'' is a foolish idea. Because even if the United States tries to protect these countries, China's provocations against these countries are now beyond the reach of the United States. In this case, the Western countries led by the United States should focus on building an ``Economic NATO'' in Asia. Because now the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula are about to become the world's most dangerous battlefield. Although NATO and the European Union are able to deal with the war in Ukraine, NATO does not exist to support this tense situation in Asia. Therefore, if the United States builds a new economic NATO in the region, it is the most appropriate for the current reality. In this case, the Western countries led by the United States should focus on building an ``Economic NATO'' in Asia. Because now the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula are about to become the world's most dangerous battlefield. Although NATO and the European Union are able to deal with the war in Ukraine, NATO does not exist to support this tense situation in Asia. Therefore, if the United States builds a new economic NATO in the region, it is the most appropriate for the current reality. In this case, the Western countries led by the United States should focus on building an ``Economic NATO'' in Asia. Because now the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula are about to become the world's most dangerous battlefield. Although NATO and the European Union are able to deal with the war in Ukraine, NATO does not exist to support this tense situation in Asia. Therefore, if the United States builds a new economic NATO in the region, it is the most appropriate for the current reality.

Elshat Hasan, an independent political analyst, emphasizes the need for this kind of new cooperation in Asia. In his view, it does not matter what name or form this new strategic partnership comes into being. What is important is when and how quickly it can happen and thereby create a global coalition against China's regional hegemony.

Michael Green (Michael Green) believes that the emergence of a NATO-style collective is now being driven by China's growing aggression and provocative behavior, and it is known that China is essentially trying to force such a collective to emerge. If this happens in the near future, then China's behavior will be self-inflicted.

"But on the other hand, the 'four-nation alliance' has many potential advantages. If China continues to pressure us, this alliance will naturally form as a new collective security mechanism. What this new alliance can best provide is the opening of a common source of goods for them. Although China is now vigorously developing its military power, China is heavily dependent on energy from the Middle East. Currently, at least half of China's energy needs are imported by sea. For this, China will have to pass through the navies of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. If these are united and divided, the energy road for China will be cut off at once. If China does not change its current position and says that it will suppress us, and if it does not refrain from military provocation, these consequences will not be long in coming. Because the United States, Australia and Japan have the greatest power in sea control.

Dr. Yang Jianli also supports this kind of Chinese ban. He believes that the newly emerging "Economic NATO" can create more positive and practical results in containing China through its multilateral role. He said:

"First, the alliance can implement the principles of NATO's economic defense mechanism. In particular, if China tries to bully an Asian country with its economic trump card, the alliance can come up against it. Second, "Economic NATO" can build the economic security mechanism of the "Four Nations Alliance" in a natural way. But there are a number of problems in this, and the biggest obstacle is to change the situation of Asian countries' dependence on China for the market. To that end, what this new alliance can do is overcome these obstacles. It is the creation of a new economic powerhouse for Asia and the world. This will be his third role. Fourth, when these steps are taken, an 'Economic NATO' will naturally shine the light of freedom and democracy on an oppressive environment and attract its peoples. America will once again be the luckiest place in the world."

Although NATO's European-centric expansion to Asia is not directly related to the Uyghurs, Ilshat Hasan emphasizes that it will be a boon for the Uyghurs anyway. He believes that the success achieved by the Western world against China, which is the "enemy of China", will bring benefits to the Uyghurs, albeit indirectly.

Currently, various discussions about the creation of such a new alliance in the Asian region are coming up one after another, and it is known that the White House is considering this issue as one of the urgent issues on the agenda.