The defense minister of Russia, Sergey Shoigu, has criticized NATO’s attempt to establish an “indivisible alliance” as a violation of global security principles. Speaking at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, China’s largest annual military diplomacy event, Shoigu accused the Western alliance of trying to expand the current European conflict to the Asia-Pacific region.
Shoigu asserted that the West, having created an acute crisis in Europe, is now seeking to potentially spread it to Asia in several directions. He warned that the direct involvement of nuclear-armed states in this confrontation would increase strategic risks. The defense minister emphasized that the West has been actively pursuing the deployment of its military to the region by proposing the creation of a joint Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security alliance. This, he argued, would lead to the presence of NATO military bases in Asia.
According to Shoigu, such an approach undermines the principle of unified security that Russia and China advocate. Chinese President Xi Jinping labels this principle as “a community of shared future,” emphasizing the importance of cooperation and collaboration in maintaining global stability.
Shoigu highlighted that the Russia-China relationship is becoming increasingly appealing to other countries who are hesitant to be drawn into the confrontational agenda imposed by the collective West. He stated that the circle of friends and like-minded nations that reject this agenda continues to grow.
Tensions in the Asia-Pacific region have been escalating in recent times. The standoff between the United States and China over Taiwan has been a major factor contributing to these tensions. China views Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has conducted numerous military exercises in the area. In response, the US approved the sale of $440 million worth of military equipment to Taiwan, a move strongly condemned by Beijing.
Additionally, the Korean Peninsula has become another area of concern in the region. North Korea has been carrying out missile tests in response to joint military exercises conducted by South Korea and the US.
The remarks made by the Russian defense minister highlight the growing unease about Western military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. While NATO justifies its actions as a means of ensuring global security, Shoigu argues that it is actually disrupting the principle of unified security promoted by Russia and China. As tensions continue to rise in the region, it remains to be seen how these conflicting approaches to security will be reconciled.
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