NATO activities in Asia Pacific 'cause for great alarm': Poll
More than 90 percent of respondents in a global survey strongly oppose NATO's involvement in the Asia-Pacific region, describing the US-led Western military alliance’s activities in the region as cause for great alarm.
According to a poll conducted by CGTN, 93 percent of the respondents strongly agree that the actions of NATO in recent years have violated its stated defense position.
More than 92 percent believe NATO has become a tool for the US to maintain hegemony and pursue political interests, according to the poll.
"NATO stirs up trouble everywhere and keeps interfering in the affairs of other regions, which will only end up with its own consequences,” said a respondent, as cited by CGTN.
The survey was conducted after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his country was considering the establishment of a NATO liaison office.
The news sparked widespread concern and great vigilance in the global community, especially among countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Japan hosted a delegation from the military alliance early this month to discuss ways to step up cooperation. News also emerged back then that the military bloc intends to open a liaison office in Tokyo next year. Both Tokyo and NATO have confirmed the plans.
The office would be NATO’s first in the Asia-Pacific region.
The plan prompted a reaction from North Korea, which warned about NATO’S growing “military collusion” with Japan.
Pyongyang said back then that Washington was gradually pushing NATO into Asia through partnerships with regional powers.
“It is an open secret that the United States has been trying to create a military alliance like this in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Kim Seol-hwa, an official with North Korea’s Japan Research Center, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday.
He also said that the “recent unprecedented military collusion between Japan and NATO is arousing great concern and alertness in the international community.”
China also warned against “NATO’s continued eastward foray into the Asia-Pacific and interference in regional affairs.”
It said the Western military alliance’s activities “will inevitably undermine regional peace and stability and stoke camp competition.”
Beijing has warned against the establishment of an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO” and made clear its opposition to any foreign military involvement in the region.
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