At security conference, US reassures NATO allies of Trump’s support

World Today

At security conference, US reassures NATO allies of Trump’s support

The United States throws its full weight behind NATO at a meeting in Europe, but fears grow of a stand-off half-way around the world on the Korean peninsula. 

CGTN’s Guy Henderson reports from the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
Follow Guy Henderson on Twitter @guyhendersonde

On his first overseas trip as U.S. vice president, Mike Pence sought to calm fears among NATO allies that Donald Trump wants to reduce American backing for the alliance.

“President Trump believes we must be strong in our military might — able to confront any and all that threaten our freedom and our way of life,” Pence said Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.

Pence added, however, that Trump expects NATO members to live up to their promises, a reference to countries that fail to meet NATO’s military spending goal of 2 percent of GDP.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the conference that Europe does spend a large amount on security – just differently.

“When we look at our spending at the United Nations, when it comes to crisis prevention work, or our contribution to peace missions, this is also a part of the burden sharing,” Merkel said.

“We should not get into a discussion about every penny,” Merkel said.

Also at the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged a resumption of six-party talks on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which has drawn new sanctions with nuclear and missile tests.

A top Chinese official said the planned deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in the Republic of Korea could make matters worse.

“No one in this room agrees with this regime — I share that feeling,” said Fu Ying, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress.

“But does that country deserve security at all?” Fu said. “That country is going to try by every means to find some kind of security.”