By Phil Stewart and Robin Emmott
LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Seventy years since its Cold
War-era founding as a transatlantic alliance focused on Moscow,
NATO is expanding its gaze toward the increasingly muscular
challenge posed by China.
But it's unclear, even to diplomats within the 29-member
military alliance, whether NATO is up to the task -- especially
at a time of intense internal divisions and acrimony that were
on full display at this week's summit. The United States is leading the charge for a greater focus
on China and is confident in a receptive audience in much of
Europe, where concerns are mounting about Beijing's growing
economic leverage, in particular.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, in an interview with
Reuters, said there was an increasing understanding in Europe
about the challenges posed by China's rapidly expanding military
might, which includes everything from hypersonic weaponry to
aircraft carriers.
"China is a strategic challenge for us and we need to get
ahead of that," Esper said.
"That doesn't mean that China right now is an enemy. But we
need to help shape that together as an alliance. And we need to
be prepared in case things do turn out in a way we prefer they
not."
In a sign of the NATO push, the allies will approve at the
summit a new strategy to monitor China's growing military
activity.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted in London that
China was the world's second-largest defense spender, after the
United States.
"It's not about moving NATO into the South China Sea, but
it's about taking into account the fact that China is coming to
closer to us," Stoltenberg said, pointing to Chinese activity in
the Arctic, Africa and heavy investments in European
infrastructure.
The United States, in particular, wants European allies to
ban equipment from Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei,
saying its gear could be used by Beijing for spying.
Huawei, which denies Washington's allegations, said in
October that half of the 65 commercial deals that it had signed
were with European customers building 5G mobile phone networks.
NATO'S NEXT ADVERSARY?
One NATO diplomat said there was broad agreement that China
was "part of our strategic environment" but cautioned about the
limits of European unity on the push.
"Some allies would be tempted to please Trump and present
China as NATO's next adversary, but most Europeans know this
does not represent their national interest," the diplomat said,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another diplomat cautioned that China would not become
NATO's adversary.
"China is not the new Russia. This is not about declaring
China as the new enemy," the diplomat said.
"China is the rising power of the 21st century."
Derek Chollet, a former senior Pentagon official during the
Obama administration, said European officials increasingly share
the U.S. view of China as a strategic challenge but he
questioned the extent to which Beijing would become a NATO
focus.
"No question there is an opportunity," said Chollet, who is
now at the German Marshall Fund think-tank.
"It is unlikely, however, to ever be a core NATO task."
Part of the China plan at NATO is based around seven
baseline requirements on which NATO allies must asses the risks.
These include the risks of consequences of Chinese ownership of
communications and NATO plans to restore communications in case
of disruption.
It also includes ensuring NATO has ownership of strategic
weapons and infrastructure and what NATO's maritime posture
should be vis-à-vis China.
The push comes amid broader strains within the alliance,
with a French president who calls it "brain dead," a Turkish
leader who is buying Russian weapons and an American president
who has described allies who spend too little on defense as
"delinquent."
Esper, in his comments to Reuters, played down the divisions
in NATO.
"I can't remember a time when there wasn't some degree of
disunity from one member or another. It's not unusual," Esper
said ahead of the talks in London.
"If it's a little heightened this time around, I think
(it's) because we're going through a transition ... to make sure
the alliance is focused on the future."