Royal Netherlands Navy Adm. Rob Bauer, the chair of the NATO Military Committee, highlighted the importance of strengthening the alliance’s cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific, noting how the developments in the region could impact Euro-Atlantic security.
Bauer made the remarks at the 26th annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Hawaii, where senior military leaders from 28 countries and multilateral entities discussed cybersecurity, regional capacity building, threats and opportunities in emerging technologies, and the future of the Indo-Pacific.
Bauer had separate meetings with Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and the chiefs of defense from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The meetings focused on enhancing cooperation with NATO allies, China’s military activities in the region and its role as a decisive enabler of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, and the threat posed by North Korea, among other topics.
“Attending the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference reaffirmed that NATO’s Partnerships remain key to enhancing stability, positively influencing the global security environment, and upholding international law,” Bauer said.