No “Asian NATO” says U.S. as alliance brings Japan, S. Korea to summit

The United States does not view the participation of Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand at the upcoming NATO summit as a move toward the creation of an “Asian version of NATO,” a White House official said Thursday. China has been cautioning against some European countries stepping up their engagement in the Indo-Pacific as well as against a formation of a military alliance in the region akin to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. “This isn’t about an Asian version of NATO. NATO is a trans-Atlantic security alliance,” John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said, touching on…