– Let’s not be naive about China. The construction of their armed forces, investments in the defense industry and the development of defense abilities are stunning – said Rutte for Japan Times.
The US President Donald Trump puts pressure on other NATO members, mostly European, to increase their allocations for the Defense.
At the same time, Trump wants to strengthen their military capacities from the Indo-Pacific region in order to oppose China and restrained North Korea.
– The United States wants more and more that NATO is involved in this region. Not in terms of Article 5, but in terms of displaying strength and mutual support within the Alliance – Rutte said.
Article 5 of NATO envisages that the attack on one member shall be considered an attack on all members, and that everything will take measures accordingly.
Rutte should visit the Naval Base of Yokosuk today and meet with high Japanese officials, including Premiere Shigerua Ishibu on Wednesday.
NATO has tried to strengthen the ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand – the so-called IP4 group – whose leaders attended NATOMs.
(Vijesti.ba / Fena)
