The NATO chief is visiting Japan as part of strengthening the alliance's power in Asia and the Pacific region.
We should not be naive about China, he says to The Japan Times.
The build-up of their military forces and investments in their defense industry and defense capabilities are astonishing.
NATO has deepened ties with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand in recent years, whose leaders have been invited to several NATO meetings. Last week, Rutte told The Japan Times that NATO wants to take the partnership to the next level and expand information sharing and defense industrial cooperation.
We must move forward from joint declarations to practicalities, he said.
From the US side, President Donald Trump has expressed a desire for allies in Asia and the Pacific region to strengthen their armies in the power struggle against China and North Korea.
