North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg remarked on Thursday that China's joint military exercise with Belarus confirms that "authoritarian regimes are aligning more and more."
Speaking at the NATO summit in Washington, Stoltenberg stated that the 11-day joint military exercise, dubbed Eagle Assault 2024, fits into a "pattern" of authoritarian powers working closely together and "supporting Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine." He added that China's regime is "oppressing its own people and threatening neighbors," with Taiwan being one of the countries threatened by Beijing's behavior.
"China is conducting a huge military buildup with no transparency," he continued, reiterating the fact that China's increasing alignment with Russia and Belarus paints a "broader picture of authoritarian powers working together."
