Relations between NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) have come under scrutiny as most leaders from the collective, consisting of South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, chose to skip the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague. While progress was made in areas such as defense industry cooperation and support for Ukraine, the absence of these leaders speaks volumes, suggesting that the impetus to maintain the relationship is no longer reciprocated from the IP4. This distancing from cross-regionalism signals a broader trend among IP4 nations as they adapt to evolving geopolitical realities and prioritize regional challenges, particularly their engagement with China and each other. […]
Lee, who was just elected to office in June, has asserted that his foreign policy will be “flexible and pragmatic”; during his presidential campaign, he reiterated that he wants to “stabilize and manage” South Korea-China relations because he considers Beijing an “important trade partner.” Lee’s strategy has already shown results: Chinese President Xi Jinping invited him to visit for the upcoming Victory Day parade. Additionally, Lee has spoken with Rutte about deepening the South Korea-NATO partnership. NATO will likely be monitoring Lee’s decision on Xi’s invitation.
New Zealand is increasing its engagement with China. Just days before the NATO summit, Luxon visited China to meet with Xi, where they discussed trade and regional security. Luxon’s remarks leading up to and following the summit convey an intention for Wellington to engage with Beijing strategically, while also addressing NATO concerns. Following his trip, he dismissed NATO’s claims regarding China’s role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the summit, he stated that he would encourage China to leverage its influence over Russia and North Korea. Läs artikel