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NATO’s top military official has highlighted the “shocking” pace of China’s military modernization and warned of its growing diplomatic presence abroad as the alliance prepares to take a more stance. assertive towards Beijing.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach’s comments highlight China’s wide range of security challenges as alliance members struggle to move beyond diagnosing the threat of a plan agreed action.
“It’s 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, especially in facial recognition,” he said. Peach, who is resigning Friday after three years as head of the NATO military committee, in an interview with the Financial Times ahead of his departure.
“I think it’s very important to keep an eye on it. What do you do if you are a leader in China with great modernized power? Deploy it, move it, ”he said, adding that there is“ more work ”needed among the 30 NATO member states to decide what China’s military ambitions mean for the alliance.
NATO leaders last week he warned for the first time that China posed “systemic challenges” to the rules-based international order, perpetrating misinformation, cooperating with Russia, and expanding its nuclear arsenal.
But critics say the alliance has not yet developed a detailed strategy for China, in part because it is internally divided and lacks the tools to address issues such as China’s involvement in Europe’s strategic infrastructure.
Peach noted how Beijing had expanded its diplomatic reach through advanced sites such as its “huge” embassy in Brussels, which is also the main headquarters of the EU, where NATO is based.
“Now you have these big footprints of the embassy with very large defense sections, often populated by general officers. And then just look, as you would observe after almost 50 years of service, what is everything for? ” he asked.
Brussels has become a center of concern around Chinese espionage activities and influence operations. Last year, the Belgian security agency accused Fraser Cameron, a Brussels think-tank who had previously worked for the European Commission and the British intelligence agency MI6, of participating in an alleged Chinese influence buying operation.
Cameron has denied any illegal offense and called the allegations ridiculous. Since then, Belgium has declined to comment on the case and has not filed any charges related to the case.
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 general diplomacy” and that Beijing “is actively developing constructive military relations with other countries.” .
Chief Marshal Stuart Peach noted how Beijing had expanded its diplomatic reach through advanced venues such as its “huge” embassy in Brussels © PA
Peach, who was previously head of the British Armed Forces defense cabinet before being appointed to NATO, said he had noticed that Beijing’s joint operations with Moscow were evolving from being “relatively smaller” to involving “major exercises”. and training opportunities ”in recent years. But he rejected any suggestion that the two countries were heading towards a strategic partnership.
The air commissioner hinted that, on the contrary, as the melting of the Arctic ice opens a northern sea route, which will accelerate China’s sea passage to Europe and open access to energy and mineral supplies without explode. competition it could be triggered between the two powers. Moscow is already opening new military facilities in the Arctic, while China has declared itself an “almost Arctic nation.”
“I can’t see the long-term harmony between China and Russia in the Arctic,” Peach said.
But the outgoing leader, who has been tasked with maintaining NATO’s diplomatic channel with Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, was less incisive about his discussions.
“I have known General Gerasimov for years. . . and our relationship is totally professional, “Peach said.” The issues we discuss are designed to protect us all. “
As he prepares to return to London, the air marshal raised the possibility that NATO would need to seek sources of funding beyond its goal, that members commit to spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense.
At this month’s summit, the Allies agreed to set a fund of 1 billion euros invest in new military technologies, from artificial intelligence to robotics. But, he suggested, more could be done. “If I’m right about the convening authority that this alliance confers, that’s exactly where we should think for the future,” Peach said.
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