During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing prior to the congressional recess, Sen. James Risch (R-ID) spoke about European contribution to NATO defense spending.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thanks much. Mr. Whitaker. We're now going to do a round of questions five minutes to each a lot a lot of five minutes
00:06To each of the members of the committee and I'm going to start and I want to start Mr. Lando with you
00:12And I am assuming that you agree on the importance of our alliances in Asia
00:20to push back against China and
00:23The fact that that's going to be really important as we proceed through this 21st century
00:28With the ascendance of China. Could could you give us your thoughts on that? Please a hundred percent center
00:34Thank you for that question, and I think you've put your finger on the key
00:41Geopolitical challenge of our times for our country
00:43Which is the rise as we've all experienced over the last 30 years of the People's Republic of China both
00:49economically and militarily
00:52To now be our nation's foremost strategic competitor really all around the world
00:57I think there was a reference in one of the statements to that. They're not only in their region
01:02but they're also in Africa in Latin America and
01:06I think this is the biggest overall challenge to our
01:11Nation's role in the world today, and I think you've also I think correctly identified
01:16One of the key tools that we have to counter it. We are not alone there. There's particularly the folks in China's neighborhood
01:25Who have at least as strong an interest in?
01:29Countering China's rise and working very closely with us. We have a number of
01:35Organizations there obviously
01:37Japan is a very close ally of ours
01:41You know Korea the Republic of Korea the the ASEAN nations
01:46We have the quad with with India Australia and Japan
01:50So, I think you have correctly identified that
01:54in
01:55In trying to counter China's rise. We should work with all these nations in the region again
02:01The some of the ASEAN nations of Philippines Vietnam. They're really there on the front lines. And so
02:08I think we need to work very closely, but we also need to I think
02:13Muster our
02:15Economic forces around the world and really unleash our private sector
02:20I think for too long honestly, and I alluded to this in my statement
02:24the United States has not realized the importance of economics in foreign policy and commercial practices and
02:30frankly, you know China has been engaged in some degree of
02:35coercive
02:36Investment in certain countries. We've seen that in Sri Lanka and other parts of the world
02:39But in frankly other parts of the world, they're out hustling us
02:42Our private sector is not there on the ground
02:46Coordinated with the US government and if I'm confirmed, I would love to work with the private sector
02:52You know when I was in Mexico the Chinese ambassador could go to a state and he could basically promise
02:58Investment because they have state-owned companies if I were to go to a state and they would talk to me about their investment needs and their
03:04resources I
03:05Have to go to the private sector that I can't tell them what we're going to do
03:09And so I think it's critical to unleash the incredible and unmatched in the world American private sector
03:17to help
03:18promote our national interest in in developing some of these countries and
03:23Frankly and obviously in a way that produces results for them to
03:27well said
03:29Mr. Whitaker you come in to take over this job at NATO in a particularly sensitive time as
03:38I said in my opening statement, and I think you referred to also
03:42The fact that we're going to require our European friends and allies to step up look. This is the most successful military
03:50Alliance in the history of the world. We're proud of it. It's strong
03:53It's stronger today than it's ever been
03:56The media focuses on our squabbles, but doesn't point to the fact that by adding Sweden and Finland
04:02We dramatically increased the effectiveness and the power of NATO
04:07Having said all that as Senator Shaheen referred to when someone has been supplying certain things and
04:14They decide well, they're not going to
04:17Pay the whole tab anymore a giant share of the tab and asking the people to step up people push back on you
04:23It's it's human nature it happens
04:26We're seeing that in in other areas too that we've dealt with
04:30So you're you're gonna your your jobs gonna be to go over there and convince them that
04:34They're gonna have to step up the good news is
04:37You're seeing what we've been preaching to them for years and that is that they do need to step up that they can't
04:44Be requiring us as pointed out
04:47to come in and pay a bigger share than what we should pay and look this is a
04:53This this alliance is a very wealthy
04:57complex of countries and has
05:00On economies that are similar to the United States and they should be able to step up
05:04so could you give us your thoughts on that briefly because I'm running out of time, but
05:08You know the challenge. I know the challenge in short order. What are you gonna do about it?
05:12Well, thank you chairman in my one second that's left. I'll tell you I agree with you. I think these challenges can be
05:20Reached and overcome. I have no concerns that our European allies and and Canada can all do more
05:28They now want to do more it's pretty clear if you read what they've said over the last
05:34Probably month or two, but at the end of the day words don't matter
05:38It is going to be actions from our allies and I fully expect that they will do what's necessary to continue to make
05:44NATO the strongest Alliance ever on the history of the planet. Thank you
05:48You're gonna be involved in the debate in June as you know
05:51When they talk about the two and a half percent
05:54That was everybody's agreement and we're still a few short that haven't made that agreement
05:58So it's going to be even tougher as we step up
06:00The good news is they recognize it and they're the vast majority of them are willing to step up with that. So she
06:08Thank You. Mr. Chairman. I want to start with mr. Landau