On April 4, 1949, compelled by the threat of Soviet military aggression, the United States and 11 other nations formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a security pact holding that an attack against any of the signatories would be considered an attack against them all. Today, Chinese economic aggression requires that the United States and its allies form a NATO for trade.
Rob Atkinson and Clyde Prestowitz explain in the Washington Post why it is important for America and its allies to consider such measure as Beijing is trying to intimidate foreign governments.
It is time for a new approach under which democratic, rule-of-law-nations agree to come to each other’s economic aid against an outside adversary. This new organization — call it the Democratically Allied Trade Organization — should be governed by a council of participating countries, and if any member is threatened or attacked unjustly with trade measures that inflict economic harm, DATO would quickly convene and consider whether to take joint action to defend the member nation.
