Secretary of State John Blinken said Wednesday (March 24) that the United States will not force any NATO ally to choose between Washington and Beijing.
Launching his first trip to Europe since taking office, Blinken said at NATO headquarters in Brussels, “The United States will not force an ally to choose between China and us [the United States].”
After more than seven decades of U.S. protection of its allies, the EU, led by France, wants to seek a more independent role. Spain and the Netherlands urged the EU to seek “strategic autonomy” while keeping its economy open.
Blinken noted that climate change is a necessary area for cooperation with China. China, a country of 1.34 billion people, already emits a quarter of the world’s carbon dioxide, more than the United States, but is also an investor in renewable energy.
As the United States and China vie for supremacy in areas ranging from electric cars to biomedicine, Blinken also blamed Beijing for undermining the international trade order established by the United States and its allies after World War II.
Speaking of China, Blinken said, “They are actively working to weaken the rules of the international system and the values we share with our allies.” He said, “If we work together to achieve a positive vision of the international order, we believe we can stand up to China on any playing field.”
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