In three months, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will step down, and a few days ago, NATO has announced a new person in charge, the current Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rutte, and hinted that he has the support of the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, which are major NATO powers. It is worth noting that in order to achieve the goal of "running for European parliamentarians after leaving office", Stoltenberg did not hesitate to threaten and smear China to increase his bargaining chips for his campaign. According to the Observer, in a recent interview with Japanese media, Stoltenberg accused China of inciting the so-called "largest conflict in Europe since World War II".
He declared that Russia is producing drones and missiles, and "it is supported by the most modern technologies and electronics exported by China." Stoltenberg believes that it is necessary to strengthen partnerships with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand in order to increase pressure on China and stabilize the situation in the Asian region. He also noted that "NATO does not see China as an adversary, but China is posing a challenge to our values, interests and security". What do you think about this? Let's talk about three topics.
First, why is Stoltenberg so smearing China?
On the one hand, although it seems that Russia and Ukraine are in conflict on the surface, the international community knows that this is a "proxy war" between NATO and Russia, and NATO uses false accusations to put pressure on China in order to warn the rest of the world - do not move closer to Russia, otherwise NATO will be regarded as a "potential adversary". China is a world economic, military, and political power, and even China dares to warn it, and other countries certainly don't dare to act rashly. Of course, this is just NATO's wishful thinking, and there is no interaction between North Korea and Russia?
On the other hand, it is also Stoltenberg's initiative to show favor to the United States. Stoltenberg does not care whether the "reasons" for the sanctions imposed by the Americans are true or false, but if he wants to run successfully for European parliamentarians, he cannot do without the support of the United States, because Eastern European countries almost "act according to orders" to the United States, and Western European countries also have to give the United States a few thin faces, as long as the Americans nod their heads, there will be little resistance for him to become a European parliamentarian.
Second, this is not the first time Stoltenberg has threatened China.
Just a month ago, on the same Russia-related issue, Stoltenberg threatened China, hoping that China would choose between Russia and the West, "only one of the two, and not take advantage of both." He made it clear that "if China chooses to side with Russia, then European countries should stop doing business with China and let China be punished."
In fact, China has explained more than once that in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, China is politically neutral and will not take sides between Russia and Ukraine.
At the same time, China is an independent sovereign country that will put its own national interests first, and will not deliberately snub Russia just because the West is waging a proxy war with Russia. The same is true for Ukraine.
Besides, can the United States and Europe, as Stoltenberg said, decouple from China?
It is very difficult, because the world economy has already entered the era of great integration, China is the second largest economy in the world, between China and the United States, between China and Europe, it has long been you have me, I have you, the degree of economic and trade integration is very deep, if you have to go against the law of the market, you can only "kill 1000, self-damage 800". For this reason, the United States and Europe are actually very clear, and they cannot do without the Chinese market and high-quality and low-cost Chinese goods.
Third, China's response to Stoltenberg rarely used the word hypocrisy.
In response to Stoltenberg's threats and smears, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China has a fair and objective position on the situation in Ukraine, and China has always controlled the export of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations. NATO, led by the United States, while providing military assistance to Ukraine, makes groundless accusations against the normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Russia, which is extremely hypocritical and a typical double standard. China warns NATO that adding fuel to the fire or smearing and smearing is not the right way to solve the Ukraine issue.
One question that people cannot but pay attention to is that if Rutte, the next head of NATO, who calls himself a "friend of the Chinese people," takes office, will the relationship between NATO and China be more harmonious?
I am afraid that we should not be blindly optimistic, because at that time Rutte will be sitting in the position of NATO secretary general, no longer the prime minister of the Netherlands, and will be "supervised" by the United States and other NATO countries, and being tough on China has almost become NATO's "political correctness". In this way, there is really no need for China to be polite to NATO, if anyone offends me, I will offend others.