Overview

• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that China’s rapid buildup of warships, aircraft and other forces is driving a heightened risk of a Taiwan invasion.
• Rutte noted that three to five Chinese firms now rank among the world’s top 10 defense companies, underscoring Beijing’s expanding industrial capacity.
• He cautioned that if China moves against Taiwan, Beijing might enlist Russia to create a diversion on Europe’s eastern flank and stretch NATO’s defenses.
• At their summit in The Hague, member states agreed to boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP to strengthen collective deterrence and readiness.
• Last month’s large-scale Chinese war games encircling Taiwan prompted Taipei to scramble jets and ships, highlighting rising regional tensions with global security implications.