Secretary of State Antony Blinken targets China over coercive measures

Blinken, in an address at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said the U.S. wouldn’t force its European allies into an “us or them choice.” However, he made clear that Washington views China as an economic and security threat, particularly in the realm of technology, to NATO allies in Europe, reports CNBC.

“There’s no question that Beijing’s coercive behavior threatens our collective security and prosperity and that it is actively working to undercut the rules of the international system and the values we and our allies share,” Blinken was quoted as saying by CNBC after holding two days of consultations with NATO allies. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, is an alliance made up of 30 member nations.

He said there are certain areas to cooperate with China which include issues like climate change.

“We know that our allies have complex relationships with China that won’t always align perfectly with ours. But we need to navigate these challenges together. That means working with our allies to close the gaps in areas like technology and infrastructure, where Beijing is exploiting to exert coercive pressure,” Blinken told CNBC.

“When one of us is coerced we should respond as allies and work together to reduce our vulnerability by insuring our economies are more integrated with each other,” America’s top diplomat said.