China and Russia encircling divided Western allies

China and Russia are posing an increasing threat to Western allies, as Nato tries to heal internal splits with the US and Turkey.

"China is investing massively in new weapons. It is coming closer to us, from the Arctic to Africa," Stoltenberg told press ahead of a Nato foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday.

"We're seeing both China and Russia making a lot more forays through ships, submarines, as well as overflying boundaries," in the Arctic, Hutchison told press in a separate briefing the same day.

China was trying to restrict freedom of navigation for commercial ships, as well as buying up strategic assets in Europe, she added.

"We see predatory lending, especially on infrastructure, where China has gone into countries to start a building project for that country and then when ... the loans couldn't be paid back, China has taken the infrastructure. We have seen China take over ports throughout Europe," Hutchison noted.

On Turkey, Stoltenberg said that even if there was an accidental clash with allies in the Mediterranean, Turkey's Nato membership would "Prevent [it] from spiralling out of control".

She described Turkey's recent actions toward its European allies as being of "a very aggressive character, or, I would say, provocative character".

https://euobserver.com/foreign/150240