At a Munich conference, the US urged its Indo-Pacific and European allies to unite and strengthen defense efforts against China's military build-up. Elbridge Colby, US undersecretary of defense for policy, said the US wants a "stable and respectful" relationship with China but only from a "position of strength." He spoke about the need to work together on defending the "first island chain," which includes Taiwan. While the US does not recognize Taiwan as independent, it opposes any forceful changes there and legally supports Taiwan's defense. Colby said, "That’s not what we’re trying to do, but we’re going to make sure that we and our allies and partners are operating from a position of strength. That, to me, is common sense." He explained stability needs both "willingness to engage, but also clarity and strength." This effort links to the US National Defense Strategy, which focuses on collective defense of the first island chain and urges allies to share defense responsibilities. Last year, NATO members agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP at a summit in the Netherlands. Officials at Munich also called for higher military budgets and closer Indo-Pacific and European cooperation to meet China’s growing threat. Officials highlighted ties such as European navies visiting Japan and programs like the Global Combat Air Programme between Japan, Britain, and Italy to develop new fighter jets. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said Europe and the Indo-Pacific face the "same enemies," including cyber and hybrid warfare threats. He accused China and North Korea of aiding Russia in the Ukraine war, a claim Beijing denies. US Senator Chris Coons stressed the importance of alliance alignment to counter China's industrial might and technology growth, including artificial intelligence and space technology. He noted increased cooperation is needed as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia align more closely since the Ukraine conflict. Coons said, "We must treat our allies as allies. You are not our dependents. You are our partners. We rely on you. We need you."