Source: Global Times

["Global Times" reporter Ni Hao] "The largest port in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, is preparing for a possible conflict with Russia," reported the UK's Financial Times on the 7th. Specific measures include reserving berths for military cargo ships and planning routes for transporting supplies during wartime.

The CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, Baldwin Simmons, said they are coordinating with the neighboring Belgian port of Antwerp to prepare contingency plans to cope with potential influxes of military vehicles and supplies from the US, UK, and Canada. The Dutch Ministry of Defense announced in May this year that, in accordance with NATO's request, the Port of Rotterdam must provide space for the loading and unloading of several military cargo ships. Simmons told the Financial Times that there will be four or five times a year when one or more ships will dock at the wharf for several weeks, and the specific location will vary. The Port of Rotterdam Container Terminal is the only area where ammunition can be safely transferred. The port will also conduct several amphibious military exercises annually.

The report stated that the above measures by the Port of Rotterdam are part of a broader wave of preparation across the European continent. The EU is developing a military rearmament plan worth up to 800 billion euros to respond to calls from the United States for Europe to enhance its defense autonomy, and to further deter Russia as the Ukraine-Russia conflict enters its fourth year.

The pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia conflict have exposed Europe's reliance on medical supplies from China and India, and on Russian oil. Simmons called on Europe to stockpile more essential goods, similar to how it reserves oil. "We should take the same measures for copper, lithium, graphite, and other key raw materials," Simmons said. He added that the EU should focus on broader strategic resilience, not just in the oil sector, but also in natural gas, pharmaceuticals, and critical materials. He also mentioned that the distribution network around the Port of Rotterdam is well-established, making it an ideal storage location. Part of the Netherlands' strategic oil reserves are already stored here.

At the NATO summit held in late June, NATO leaders decided to increase defense spending as a percentage of GDP from 2% to 5% by 2035. On June 26, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated at a press conference that increased defense spending by NATO member states would not affect Russia's security. The report said that Russian President Putin previously told American journalist Carlson that Moscow would not attack NATO countries and had no intention of attacking Poland, Latvia, or other Baltic states. Western politicians often use the threat of Russia to scare their own citizens and divert attention from domestic issues.

Dong Yifan, a researcher at the Belt and Road Institute of Beijing Language University, told the "Global Times" reporter that the Port of Rotterdam's wartime preparations reflect that, after the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the EU has particularly focused on so-called risk reduction and restructuring supply chain resilience in economic security policies related to handling geopolitical crises. This is specifically reflected in infrastructure and shipping logistics.

"Ensuring the stability, reliability, and safety of material transportation and the entire supply chain is a preventive measure taken by the EU to address future geopolitical crises, which is understandable. However, we also note that the EU's wartime strategic planning of the port also reflects the EU's increased military spending driven by a sense of insecurity, which is essentially an example of the securitization of economic issues," said Dong Yifan. This will occupy the civil functions of the Port of Rotterdam, inevitably bringing certain negative effects to the European economy."

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7525590286949532203/

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