NATO chief warns against becoming economically dependent on China

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday warned NATO countries against becoming economically dependent on China.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Stoltenberg warned about the “danger of over-reliance on authoritarian regimes.”

He argued that Europe’s dependency on Russian gas has become a political and security issue since it made the continent "vulnerable."

“We should not make the same mistakes with China and other authoritarian regimes,” he said.

“We must not become too dependent on products and raw materials we import, and avoid exporting key technologies that could be used against us,” Stoltenberg said.

He also urged not to “create new barriers between free and open economies” since “trade among friends and allies makes us stronger and more resilient.”

He also called on NATO countries to increase their defense budget since “in this new and more contested world” defense is not “optional, it is a necessity.”

“Beijing is watching closely” if Russia pays a “price” or gets “reward” for its “aggression” on Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.