NATO checkmating China in Indo-Pacific? US-led alliance to open Tokyo office

NATO is reportedly planning to open a liaison office in the Japanese capital Tokyo for military and strategic coordination with the US-led alliance's close partners across the Indo-Pacific, such as Australia, South Korea and New Zealand.

NATO’s planned new liaison Tokyo officewill reportedly open next year. It will be the first of its kind in Asia and will allow the US-led military alliance to conduct periodic consultations with Japan and key partners, such as Australia, Nikkei Asia reported.

The Chinese government has not reacted to the report so far. Beijing has previously warned NATO against extending "its tentacles to the Asia-Pacific."

In the Chinese strategic diplomatic vocabulary, the term Asia-Pacific,used to refer to the maritime regions east of the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean, is still in vogue. Almost everywhere else in the rest of the world, the term Asia-Pacific has been replaced by Indo-Pacificto reflect the geographic precision and India's centrality in the region.

Nikkei Asia reported that NATO and Japan plan to upgrade their levels of cooperation. The US-led alliance and Tokyo intend to cooperate on tackling cyber threats, disinformation and emerging and disruptive technologies.

ALSO WATCH |NATO to strengthen partnership with Japan amid the ongoing Ukraine war

"As the secretary-general said in Tokyo in February, among Nato’s partners, none is closer or more capable than Japan," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungesc was quoted as saying by The Guardian while referring to NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg's comments.

"We share the same values, interests and concerns, including supporting Ukraine and addressing the security challenges posed by authoritarian regimes, and our partnership is getting stronger," she said.

NATO, in its "strategic concept" released last year, argued that China poses "systemic challenges" to European-Atlantic security.

NATO accused China of carrying out "malicious hybrid and cyber operations" and "remaining opaque about its strategy, intentions and military build-up".

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the NATO summit in the Spanish capital of Madrid last year. The leaders of the Asia Pacific Partners (AP4) grouping – Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand – met on the sidelines.

Anthony Albanese has accepted an invitation to travel to the next NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.

"Australia shares with NATO members a commitment to supporting democracy, peace, and security and upholding the rule of law," a spokesperson for Albanese said last month.

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