The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China stated today (December 31): "President Trump is the only president who successfully persuaded all NATO allies to commit to increasing defense spending to 5% of their respective GDP by 2035. This commitment would add $100 billion in annual investment in deterrence and defense. When the United States takes the lead, its allies will also step up."
[Witty] Comments: A 5% share of GDP is no small amount. Not all NATO member states can afford it. Some NATO members have weak economic growth and are simply unable to bear such high defense spending. They are likely just making empty promises to Trump, trying to get through his term. Even if they do increase spending, it will be slow and perfunctory. Moreover, Trump's constant pressure on allies to increase military spending is simply a way for allies to pay for his hegemonic strategy and secure large-scale arms contracts. The so-called "allies stepping up" may merely be Trump's one-sided wishful thinking.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1853023670453255/
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