The head of NATO's military committee says it is preparing for “wartime scenarios” to avoid intimidation and sabotage, rather than relying on China or Russia, as President Trump vows to restore “America First.” He warned business leaders to move production lines back to their home countries. agenda.
Speaking at an event at the Center for European Policy think tank on Monday, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer said global political instability could leave companies at the mercy of foreign governments, especially if war breaks out.
“Companies need to prepare for wartime scenarios and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,” Bauer said. “Military may win battles, but economics wins wars.”
NATO's military chairman said Europe had already experienced a similar situation over the Gazprom fuel deal, which was in turmoil after Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened to change the terms of the agreement after European Union aid for Ukraine in 2022. He said that
“We thought we had a contract with Gazprom, but in reality we had a contract with Mr. Putin,” Bauer said.
“And the same is true for infrastructure and goods that China owns. In fact, we have contracts. [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping]”
The NATO military chief pointed out that 60% of all global raw materials are produced in China, and 90% of manufactured goods are also processed in China.
Bauer said the majority of raw materials for critical medical items such as sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and low blood pressure drugs also come from China.
He warned that business leaders are naive to believe that the Chinese Communist Party will not succumb to targeting foreign companies in the country to disrupt the economy of a potential enemy.
The dire warning comes as President-elect Donald Trump vows to prioritize an “America First” policy, which includes cutting most products imported from China to protect domestic industries. This could include imposing a 60% tariff on
Economists expect a 40% tariff on imports to begin early next year, a major blow to China as President Trump pushes for an “America First” policy. Dew.
The president-elect also claimed that his first call from the Oval Office will be to demand that China's president implement a $50 billion agricultural deal.
The deal, struck during tariff negotiations during President Trump's first term, called for China to buy $50 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products, which Mr. Xi said he had failed to do.
Experts say Trump's plan will hamper China's 2025 economic plans by many percentage points, and it remains unclear how Beijing will react.
During Monday's event, Bauer called on President-elect Trump and European leaders not to end the Ukraine conflict with a Russian victory, setting a dangerous precedent for Russia and China to do whatever they want against the West. He warned that he would be making a .
On the campaign trail, Trump has hinted at ending the war diplomatically, including by allowing Russia to keep territory it invaded, which would be a major victory for Putin.
Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Moscow now controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea and large parts of the Donbass, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.
with post wire
