NATO-style security alliance unlikely in Asia's near future

THE UNITED STATES is intensifying its efforts to forge an Asian version of NATO with its allies, which poses a grave security threat to China. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday:

The concept of an "Asian NATO" was not created out of thin air. It could be part of the US' rebalancing to Asia strategy.

Some see it as a bid for a collective defense mechanism by Asia-Pacific nations exercising US-style democratic values, ranging from the US and Canada in North America, to Japan in Asia and some Middle East powers. They say that it will not be targeted at any third party and is for collective defense in the event that a member is attacked.