Brussels: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) must explore ways to engage with China on issues like arms controls in the wake of the country’s growing military capabilities, the organization’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.
“We need to engage with China on issues like arms control. I spoke with the Chinese foreign minister and this was one of my messages that China should be part of future arms control arrangements,” NATO Secretary-General said at the Riga Security Forum in Latvia.
NATO must also realise that China matters for its security, as the country will soon have the biggest economy in the world, in addition to boasting the largest navy and the second largest overall military budget, Stoltenberg added.
The remarks form part of NATO Secretary’s speech on “outlook towards 2030 and beyond” delivered ahead of the bloc’s foreign affairs ministerial meeting in Riga.
