Since plans to open NATO's first office in the Japanese capital Tokyo were discussed again last year, there has been much speculation about the North Atlantic military alliance's intention to extend its influence into Asia.
On January 16, visitors to the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss ski resort of Davos heard NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg personally confirm: NATO will not expand into Asia.
“NATO is a transatlantic alliance, with Europe and North America. And we will remain a regional alliance. But the transatlantic area faces global threats. Security is no longer regional; security is global. So what happens in Asia matters for Europe and what happens in Europe matters for Asia,” Stoltenberg said.
“You have to understand that the problem is not NATO’s move towards Asia, but China is approaching our threshold… NATO will not expand into Asia, but must react to what is happening in that region,” the head of the military alliance said.
According to Mr. Stoltenberg, although NATO does not consider China an opponent, NATO must adapt to “the country's strong investment in modern military capabilities, including more advanced nuclear weapons, China's behavior, especially in the East Sea…”
The venue of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Photo: Outlook India
Plans to open a NATO liaison office in the “land of the rising sun” have been discussed intermittently since 2007, when then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first visited the alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and were raised again in 2023.
Beijing has expressed scepticism about the proposed liaison office in Tokyo. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said NATO should remain within its sphere of influence and not seek to increase its presence in Asia, arguing that the region “does not welcome confrontational blocs or military blocs.”
The US-led military alliance currently has more than a dozen communications centers around the world, in countries such as Ukraine and Moldova. Most of these centers are small and designed to help communicate with the host country’s government and military. While NATO has not outlined detailed plans for Tokyo, the office there is expected to serve a similar function and will have only a small staff.
About the World Economic Forum (WEF), it is a Swiss non-governmental organization that holds an annual conference in the town of Davos to discuss pressing political, economic and social issues around the globe.
The 54th conference is taking place in Davos from January 15-19, with the main theme being “Rebuilding Trust”. The event has brought together 2,800 participants from more than 120 countries, including business executives, political leaders and experts .
Minh Duc (According to TASS, Radar Armenia)
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