NATO must meet 'challenges' and 'opportunities' of China's rise: Boris Johnson
- NATO leaders in Brussels hold talks with Biden for the first time
- Boris Johnson said leaders were considering China's "challenges and opportunities."
- The prime minister said he was free to pursue better relations with Russia but was "disappointed"
Boris Johnson today warned that NATO would have to face the "challenges" and "opportunities" of China's rise when talks with coalition leaders began.
Arriving at the summit in Brussels, the prime minister called for "modernizing" the military group and acknowledging that Beijing is a "great reality" in our lives.
But he insisted that no Western leader wanted a "new Cold War." "I don't think anyone around the table wants a new Cold War with China today. I don't think there are people.
"They face challenges, things that we have to manage together, but they also see opportunities."
Mr. Johnson praised Joe Biden's re-acceptance of the deal, noting that Britain was still the second-largest contributor.
The president has insisted that he sees NATO as "indispensable to US security" rather than just a "protection racket", and today he says he wants to open a "new chapter" after Donald Trump.
Mr. Johnson also called for vigilance against Russia ahead of Mr. Biden's key talks with Vladimir Putin. The prime minister said he was "always optimistic" about better relations with Moscow but changed the fact that the situation had been "very disappointing" and that Mr. Putin should "change the way you behave". ۔
Ministers are concerned about the growing professionalism of Chinese diplomacy, including human rights claims in Hong Kong.
Downing Street said Mr. Johnson would use today's meeting to "outline the need for NATO to look beyond the Euro-Pacific, to address further challenges, including the Indian Ocean."
But Mr. Johnson made it clear that Russia still had a long way to go. "I have always hoped that things would improve with Russia, but I am afraid that so far it has been very disappointing from a British point of view," he said.
"When I saw President Putin, I made it very clear. I said, 'Look, you know, we're ready to do things differently. We're ready to try to get closer.' You have to change your behavior.
"You will remember what happened in Salisbury where innocent members of the public were poisoned by Novichok, a woman who tragically lost her life.
"It simply came to our notice then. NATO allies stood by Britain at the time, and I know that in the next few days, President Biden will send some strong messages to President Putin. '
A source at No. 10 said: 'The West's neighborhood is much bigger than before.
If you look at trade, what happens in the Indian Ocean in terms of disruption has a direct impact here. NATO must be prepared to address this. '
Ahead of the summit, Mr. Johnson said: "NATO is not only important to Britain's security, but it is also our security. NATO is indebted to the billions of people we secure every day so that they can adapt and grow steadily to meet new challenges. '
Mr. Biden is expected to resume US support for NATO next year, with Donald Trump threatening to withdraw.
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