The emergence of China as a rival is drawing the attention of many countries, particularly the United States, toward the Indo-Pacific region.

Axar.az reports that Turkish Defense Minister Yashar Guler made the remarks at a forum in Ankara dedicated to cooperation within NATO.

“The rise of China as a potential rival has shifted global attention—especially that of the United States—toward the Indo-Pacific, particularly along the India-Pakistan and Pakistan-Afghanistan lines, where conflict tendencies are observed. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is also creating multifaceted risks. Israel’s recent attacks on Gaza, as well as threats stemming from Greece and Syria, are viewed as risks to regional security,” he said.

According to Guler, analyzing the current security environment based on accumulated experience helps better explain why NATO remains an indispensable actor, while also highlighting Turkiye’s growing importance within the alliance.

“Terrorism, as well as hybrid and proxy wars, are becoming increasingly widespread. The rising potential for conflicts linked to energy security, the strong impact of trade wars, the emergence of a new competitive environment, and the space race will become key security issues in the period ahead,” he added.