6 Myths about NATO’s Engagement in the Indo-Pacific – The Diplomat

NATO’s engagement within the Indo-Pacific has turn out to be a contentious and extremely politicized challenge, most notably with the mooted opening of a liaison workplace in Japan, which ignited a serious worldwide debate within the run-up to the Vilnius NATO summit in July 2023. There are six main myths concerning the alliance’s rising engagement within the area. No matter the place one stands on the problem, getting the information straight is essential.

Fable 1: NATO’s troops are coming to the Indo-Pacific area

NATO as such just isn’t ready or keen to ship troops to any Asian contingencies. There is no such thing as a urge for food for this in NATO nations. It might merely be unattainable for the alliance to invoke the collective protection provision of Article 5 in response to any contingency over Taiwan, for instance, as a result of Taiwan is exterior NATO’s jurisdiction. The main target of the partnership between NATO and the nations often called the “AP4” (or IP4) – Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea – is sensible cooperation in such areas as cybersecurity, standardization, maritime safety, and humanitarian help.

Particular person European nations, not least the UK and France, and more and more Germany, have already been deepening their interplay and enhancing interoperability with Japan, Australia, and different U.S. allies and companions within the Indo-Pacific. However NATO itself won’t deliver troops to the area.

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Fable 2: International locations within the Indo-Pacific area will be a part of NATO

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It’s legally and politically unattainable for Asian nations to affix NATO. Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty says that the events might invite nations in Europe to accede to the treaty. Furthermore, and maybe extra basically, no nation within the Indo-Pacific area – and this consists of Australia and Japan – is fascinated by becoming a member of the alliance. NATO’s “transfer to the East” is due to this fact under no circumstances about increasing the collective protection preparations to the Indo-Pacific.

Fable 3: NATO’s liaison workplace in Japan will have an effect on the steadiness of energy within the area and alter the character of NATO

NATO’s liaison workplace won’t ever alter the steadiness of energy within the Indo-Pacific area nor will it reshape the character of the alliance as a Euro-Atlantic group. What’s being contemplated is just a single-person workplace that’s supposed to gather info and coordinate partnership actions with Japan and different companions within the area. It’s meant to be an administrative innovation in the way in which through which NATO offers with these companions. The function that the proposed workplace might realistically play is due to this fact inherently restricted. It’s primarily Beijing that’s hyping the importance of the plan. NATO already has a liaison workplace on the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, and nobody severely argues that NATO is now not a Euro-Atlantic alliance.

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Fable 4: NATO’s engagement within the Indo-Pacific will set off an arms race within the area

NATO’s engagement within the area won’t set off an arms race within the area. Once more, NATO’s engagement just isn’t about sending troops or extending its collective protection assure to the area. Extra importantly, it’s China that has been constantly and unilaterally rising its arms over the previous couple of many years. No nation – not even america – has been in a position to match it, with the consequence that the regional steadiness of energy has more and more shifted in China’s favor.

Japan and different nations are slowly waking as much as this actuality and have been rising their protection budgets lately. Nonetheless, many consultants consider that the velocity of response continues to be not sufficient, prompting Common Yoshida Yoshihide, Japan’s high uniformed officer, to warn, “We can’t preserve Japan’s safety with our present capabilities.”

Fable 5: The USA is forcing Europe to comply with its lead within the Indo-Pacific

It’s fallacious to consider that Europeans are solely following the U.S. lead of their engagement within the Indo-Pacific area. That Europe doesn’t have an possibility however to easily obey america is a picture that Beijing would have others consider. It additionally displays the extremely hierarchical method through which China understands worldwide relations. True, some Europeans could also be utilizing their engagement within the Indo-Pacific area, together with alignment with america on China, as a method to enhance relations with Washington. Nonetheless, that is removed from the entire story, and it can’t clarify the primary motive.

Fable 6: Europe doesn’t have its personal safety curiosity within the Indo-Pacific

The most important and apparent motive why the above holds has to do with the truth that Europe has its personal set of pursuits in Asia. These pursuits usually are not solely financial, but in addition more and more embody safety and values, and are affected by what takes place within the Indo-Pacific. Europe doesn’t need to, and nor ought to it, provoke China unnecessarily, however nor can it stay detached to the area. To guard its personal pursuits, Europe at the least must strengthen its early warning capabilities in order that it’s higher ready for contingencies within the Indo-Pacific that might have implications past the area. It’s not in Europe’s curiosity to be seen as compromising on such a primary want out of concern of Beijing’s response.

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Probably, some will stay skeptical about NATO’s engagement within the Indo-Pacific area. Nonetheless, what’s essential is to keep away from making arguments primarily based on false stereotypes or unfounded myths. Each NATO and its companions within the Indo-Pacific appear sensible and discreet about what they will hope to attain by their cooperation. Nonetheless, they’re pursuing dialogue and cooperation, believing that doing so serves their respective pursuits in gentle of the rising hyperlinks between the European and Indo-Pacific theaters.