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【Text/Liu Chenghui of Observer Network】NATOSigns of involvement in Asia-Pacific affairs are growing. Bloomberg reported on August 16 that NATO is strengthening its presence in the Western Pacific by sending more warships to counter China, with Italy, France and the United Kingdom deciding to send aircraft carriers to the Pacific. The report warned that this move could exacerbate tensions between NATO and China.

The latest addition to NATO's deployment in the Asia-Pacific region is the Italian aircraft carrier "Giant Cavour". This is the first time that Italy has deployed its only aircraft carrier to the Pacific. The aircraft carrier was launched in 2004 and has a full load displacement of only about 27,000 tons. Recently, in the waters near Guam, this aircraft carrier, which can take off and land F-35 fighters, and an Italian frigate jointly held a joint military exercise with the US Navy's "Lincoln" aircraft carrier. The F-35 and AV-8B launched by the "Giant Cavour" practiced shooting down aerial targets.

"Most importantly, this demonstrates our ability to project power anywhere."Carrier Battle GroupCommander Giancarlo Ciappina said.

Reuters reported last month that before heading to Guam, the Cavour participated in the "Pitch Black" military exercise with the Australian military in Darwin, northern Australia. 23 Italian fighter jets, including 8 F-35Bs, conducted air combat, strikes and other operations with allies. During the period, an Italian Air Force Typhoon fighter crashed.

"The mere presence of an aircraft carrier somewhere has an effect, has an influence. It is a very powerful tool." Ciapina said the Italian Navy's first deployment in the Indo-Pacific region has improved training and deepened understanding of the region.

"Everything is interconnected...that's why we now have to come to the Pacific as well," he said.

In addition to the Italian aircraft carrier, European countries such as Britain and France have also decided to deploy warships to the Pacific region.

Among them, the British Royal Navy's "Prince of Wales" aircraft carrier battle group will arrive in the Pacific next year, and France has stated that it will send the "Charles de Gaulle" aircraft carrier battle group to the region.

Other NATO members, such as Germany and the Netherlands, also plan to send warships to the Pacific.

However, some security analysts said that the European navy cannot replace the US presence in the Asia-Pacific region, but the US Navy's aircraft carriers are currently stretched thin due to deployment operations in the Middle East. The report believes that European countries sent warships to prepare to reinforce the US military in the event of a crisis, such as providing take-off and landing platforms for US aircraft, enhancing anti-submarine capabilities, and participating in supply missions.

Brent Sadler, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank, said the United States needs 15 aircraft carriers to meet demand, but now has only 11, which puts more pressure on naval ships and crews. This situation is unsustainable.

Bloomberg noted that NATO has been cautious about confronting China, but tensions have escalated this year.

During the NATO summit held in Washington on July 10, a joint statement was issued, which not only hyped up the "systemic challenges" posed by China, but also once again attacked China over the issue of "aid to Russia", falsely claiming that China was the "decisive promoter" of the so-called Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Many foreign media have noticed that the previous NATO summit statements on China were relatively mild in their wording, but this statement issued a "direct warning" to China for the first time, implicitly threatening to make China "pay a price", which can be regarded as a major change for NATO.

The spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the European Union stressed on July 11 that the Asia-Pacific region is a highland of peaceful development, not an arena for geopolitical games. What is NATO's intention in repeatedly hyping up the "Eurasian security linkage"? We urge NATO to abide by the law, abide by the positioning of the North Atlantic regional defensive organization, and not become a spoiler of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and not become a tool for certain major powers to maintain hegemony.

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