China-Australia relations: NATO formally classifies China as a challenge

Madrid | NATO is poised to formally classify China as a challenge to the organisation’s interests, security and values at the same time it moves towards a war footing in Europe to combat the threat to its east led by Russia.

As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed calls by some European leaders for western countries to hold their nerve against Russia, despite the spiralling cost of living caused by the invasion of Ukraine, NATO was set to bolster its membership with Turkey backing away from its threat to veto Sweden and Finland joining.

In recognition of the global threat posed by China, which is backing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO members in Madrid for a two-day summit will reportedly agree to label China “a challenge to our interests, our security and our values” in a new 10-year doctrine to be formulated this week.

“This Strategic Concept will describe in stark terms the threat that Russia poses and the way in which it has shattered peace in Europe,” said US national Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

“As Russia is waging its unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine, we call on China to press Russia to immediately comply with the legally binding order of the International Court of Justice of 16 March 2022 and to abide by the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and stop its military aggression – and immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine,” the G7 leaders demanded.

Mr Albanese, along with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, were invited to the Madrid summit to underscore NATO’s decision to expand its focus to the global threat posed by China.

In his address to NATO, Mr Albanese said Australia, which is the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraine, had a vested interest in helping Ukraine.

“We are disappointed by the fact that China has not been able to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is spreading false narratives about NATO and the west,” he said