By Allawi Ssemanda

Leaders of NATO from July 11-12 met in Lithuania’s capital. The two days’ summit was attended by among others U.S President Joe Biden, United Kingdom ruler Rishi Sunak, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and France’s Emmanuel Macron. The Summit ended with leaders of the alliance issuing a communique containing 90 different points. In what appears to be a deliberate move to malign China, NATO leaders claimed that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) challenged the alliance’s so-called interests, security and values with what they called China’s “stated ambitions and coercive policies”.

Looking at the choice of words in the communique and the reality on the ground, it is clear that NATO is now out of closet and is becoming what they have always hidden. It is America’s arm being used by Washington to rejuvenate their failing hegemony.

They claimed that “the PRC employs a broad range of political, economic, and military tools to increase its global footprint and project power, while remaining opaque about its strategy, intentions and military build-up,” adding; “the PRC’s malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security.”

If we critically analyse these claims, it is NATO’s big brother the U.S that has always used political, economic and military tools to other countries while projecting power. For example, America’s unilateral sanctions against countries Washington deems unfriendly simply for trying to follow independent foreign policy or standing up against U.S’ hegemony. U.S normally uses its political influence in the region to target and isolate such countries while maligning them. Such countries include among others; Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Since 1945, the U.S has been using economic tools to suffocate other countries and force them into accepting or supporting Washington’s imperialistic foreign policy. Long-arm jurisdiction is one of economic tool the U.S has been using. U.S based Brooking Institute estimated that as a result of America’s unilateral economic sanctions, affected countries lost abilities to effectively contain COVID-19 pandemic. Iran alone lost over 13,000 people to COVID-19 which was worsened by U.S sanctions.  Therefore, it is inconceivable for the U.S and its walking stick – NATO to accuse China of using the so-called economic tools to disadvantage others yet for decades, this has been America’s practice!

A study by a U.S based Cato Institute, “Unfair Trade or Unfair Protection? The Evolution and Abuse of Section 301” concluded that the U.S used long-arm jurisdiction as an economic tool targeting Chinese firms in violations of World Trade Organisation (WTO). In 2018, the U.S threatened Rwanda when Kigali banned importation of second-hand clothes to help her textile industries. The U.S threatened to suspend application of duty‑free treatment to all African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)-eligible goods in the clothing sector for Rwanda. With such, U.S lacks moral authority to accuse others of using economic tools for selfish gains.

Also, NATO leaders’ claims that “the PRC’s malicious hybrid and cyber operations and its confrontational rhetoric and disinformation target Allies and harm Alliance security.” Of course, these claims are baseless and a creation of NATO warmongers. This is partly because, when it comes to claims of disinformation they accused Beijing of doing, it is the U.S side that has always been engaged in such hiding under the so-called intelligence information.  Indeed, former U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told us that America’s intelligence bodies are taken through courses to lie explaining that; “I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole… we had entire training courses,” Pompeo told cheering Texas A&M university students adding that their training “reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.” With Pompeo’s admission’s that at CIA “lying, stealing and cheating” are part of their “training courses,” NATO leaders who partly get intelligence reports from CIA have no moral authority to accuse any country of spreading disinformation and their claims shouldn’t be taken serious.

NATO leaders further accused China of what they called “deepening strategic partnership” with Russia adding that Moscow and Beijing were involved in what NATO called “mutually reinforcing attempts to undercut the rules-based international order.” They argued Beijing to play what they called “constructive” role as one of United Nations Security Council permanent members and condemn what they called “war of aggression against Ukraine”.

If critically analysed, NATO leaders exhibited arrogance and assumed moral authority they hugely lack. The PRC is an independent country! It is an insult for NATO leaders to think or even imagine that it is their responsibility to dictate to China which country to have deepen and strategic partnership with. Also, one wonders who gave NATO leaders authority to define what is “constructive role.” It is ridiculous of them to imagine it’s their responsibility to tell China what position to take in regard to Ukraine crisis. Unlike NATO leaders who have been fuelling Ukrainian crisis with arms, China has played a neutral role and offered to mediate to end the crisis. On 24^th February, Beijing suggested 12 points dubbed China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. Earlier in April 2022, President Xi Jinping introduced Global Security Initiative (GSI) showing need for world peace—especially through dialogue, development, and negotiation. All the above shows China is committed to championing world peace. They don’t need lectures from NATO leaders.

It should be noted that China has never waged a war against any country. It is NATO member countries lead by the U.S that have always invaded countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria among others.  In all NATO’s aggressive wars like in Iraq and Libya, China never supported them. It is therefore hypocrisy for NATO warmongers to assume moral authority by telling China what to do when it comes to countries invading other sovereign nations.

In conclusion, NATO leaders must stop their cold war mentality, their arrogance and start working for peace. Their claim that China is a threat in Indo-Pacific to justify NATO’s eastward expansion is not just wrong but also a stupid claim. Department of Défense data shows that the U.S has 56,000 active-duty soldiers in Japan, others in South Korea and over 313 military bases in Asia alone. With such, it is China that should be complaining not war hawkers in NATO.

NATO is being used by the U.S and their goal is not peace they claim is under threat but rather, Washington’s desire to rejuvenate their failing hegemony. This to work, U.S must create more vasal states under NATO alliance, and exaggerate threats to make their case. Even Ukrainian crisis the U.S and NATO claim that it is the reason for NATO expansion if analysed, it is not primarily their concern but using the crisis to advance their hegemonic interests. As Michael Wallace, an Irish MP in the European Union Parliament noted in a tweet, “Why is anyone shocked that #US Empire #NATO have been using Ukraine for their own Geopolitical agenda and not giving a damn about Ukraine? It is not Zelensky who’s doing the suffering as he adds to his millions, but the powerless Working-Class Ukrainians. What are they dying for…?” 

Allawi Ssemanda, PhD is a Residence Fellow at the Afro-Diplomacy ANALYTICS