Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

US Won't Force Allies To Take Sides Against China: US Secretary Of State

US Won't Force Allies To Take Sides Against China: US Secretary Of State

"When our allies shoulder their fair share of the burden, they'll reasonably expect to have a fair say in making decisions," Blinken said at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday vowed a new approach to work closer with allies, promising Washington would not force them to take sides against China.

"When our allies shoulder their fair share of the burden, they'll reasonably expect to have a fair say in making decisions," Blinken said at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

"We will honour that -- that begins with consulting our friends, early and often."

The wide-ranging speech on his first official trip to Europe marked a dramatic shift under President Joe Biden from the combative approach of predecessor Donald Trump.

It comes a day before Biden will join a video summit with EU leaders to press home the message that his administration wants to rebuild transatlantic ties.

Biden is keen to take a multilateral approach as he looks to enlist NATO allies and the EU in a united front of democracies to the authoritarian challenge of China.

"The United States won't force our allies into an 'us-or-them' choice with China," Blinken said.

America's top diplomat insisted "there's no question that China's coercive behaviour threatens our collective security and prosperity".

"But that doesn't mean countries can't work with China where possible, for example on climate change and health security."

"Navigate together"


Blinken was set to meet EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy head Josep Borrell for talks later Wednesday.

The US and EU took a first step towards joint action against Beijing by unveiling synchronised sanctions on Monday over the crackdown on the Uyghurs in China.

But Brussels irritated Biden's team by agreeing an investment deal with Beijing weeks before he took office.

Blinken said Washington wants to work with partners to "close the gaps in areas like technology and infrastructure, where Beijing is exploiting to exert coercive pressure."

"We will rely on innovation, not ultimatums," he said.

The US is also seeking to stand together with allies in the face of a more assertive Russia.

Blinken raised Washington's potential sanctions over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany in a meeting with Berlin's top diplomat Heiko Maas.

On the contentious issue of defence spending, Trump repeatedly harangued wealthy NATO members like Germany to reach a target of two percent of gross domestic product.

Blinken said this goal remained "crucial", but softened Washington's approach by admitting that allies could "shoulder their share of the burden in different ways".

"No single number fully captures a country's contribution to defending our collective security," he said.

There appeared also to be a message for NATO members such as Turkey where the government has been accused of clamping down on the opposition and rights.

"We all must speak up when countries take steps that undermine democracy and human rights," Blinken said.

"And we must help those countries move back in the right direction, by strengthening the guardrails of democracy."

At an earlier bilateral meeting, Blinken pressed Turkey's foreign minister over Ankara's purchase of a Russian air defence system, withdrawal from a treaty on violence against women, and rights record.

Biden's administration is still formulating its overall approach to Ankara -- but it maintains that it sees the country as an important ally that it wants to keep firmly in NATO.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×