BRUSSELS_NP0 —_PUN NATO_NP0 leaders_NN2 on_PRP Monday_NP0 agreed_VVD to_TO0 pivot_VVI their_DPS alliance_NN1 to_PRP a_AT0 more_AV0 confrontational_AJ0 stance_NN1 toward_PRP China_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 landmark_NN1 shift_NN1 as_PRP President_NP0 Biden_NP0 sought_VVD to_TO0 boost_VVI and_CJC reorient_NN1 the_AT0 organization_NN1 after_PRP the_AT0 eruptions_NN2 and_CJC conflict_NN1 that_CJT marked_VVD the_AT0 Trump_NN1 era_NN1 ._SENT Biden_NP0 ,_PUN in_PRP public_AJ0 comments_NN2 and_CJC private_AJ0 meetings_NN2 at_PRP the_AT0 midway_NN1 point_NN1 of_PRF his_DPS first_ORD overseas_AJ0 trip_NN1 as_PRP president_NN1 ,_PUN worked_VVD to_TO0 reassure_VVI dubious_AJ0 allies_NN2 that_CJT America_NP0 is_VBZ back_AVP and_CJC to_TO0 rally_VVI like-minded_AJ0 democracies_NN2 in_PRP what_DTQ he_PNP repeatedly_AV0 cast_VVB as_PRP an_AT0 existential_AJ0 battle_NN1 against_PRP the_AT0 world_NN1 's_POS autocracies_NN2 ._SENT Monday_NP0 's_POS discussion_NN1 was_VBD a_AT0 sharp_AJ0 expansion_NN1 of_PRF NATO_NP0 's_POS efforts_NN2 to_TO0 confront_VVI Beijing_NP0 after_PRP years_NN2 when_CJS China_NP0 was_VBD outside_PRP the_AT0 focus_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 defensive_AJ0 alliance_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 allies_NN2 agreed_VVN in_PRP their_DPS closing_AJ0 communique_NN1 that_CJT "_PUQ China_NP0 's_POS stated_AJ0 ambitions_NN2 and_CJC assertive_AJ0 behavior_NN1 present_AJ0 systemic_AJ0 challenges_NN2 to_PRP the_AT0 rules-based_AJ0 international_AJ0 order_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ "_PUQ I_PNP think_VVB that_CJT there_EX0 is_VBZ a_AT0 growing_AJ0 recognition_NN1 over_PRP the_AT0 last_ORD couple_NN1 of_PRF years_NN2 that_CJT we_PNP have_VHB new_AJ0 challenges_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ Biden_NP0 said_VVD during_PRP a_AT0 sit-down_AJ0 discussion_NN1 with_PRP NATO_NP0 Secretary_NN1 General_NP0 Jens_NP0 Stoltenberg_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ And_CJC we_PNP have_VHB Russia_NP0 that_DT0 is_VBZ not_XX0 acting_VVG in_PRP a_AT0 way_NN1 that_DT0 is_VBZ consistent_AJ0 with_PRP what_DTQ we_PNP had_VHD hoped_VVN ,_PUN and_CJC as_CJS well_AV0 as_CJS China_NP0 ,_PUN "_PUQ Biden_NP0 said_VVD ._SENT He_PNP added_VVD that_CJT members_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 Group_NN1 of_PRF Seven_CRD had_VHD "_PUQ stepped_VVN up_AVP as_CJS well_AV0 ,_PUN "_PUQ an_AT0 apparent_AJ0 reference_NN1 to_PRP a_AT0 new_AJ0 willingness_NN1 among_PRP the_AT0 economic_AJ0 club_NN1 to_TO0 criticize_VVI some_DT0 aspects_NN2 of_PRF Chinese_AJ0 behavior_NN1 ._SENT After_PRP the_AT0 meeting_NN1 ,_PUN Stoltenberg_NP0 said_VVD it_PNP was_VBD an_AT0 achievement_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 alliance_NN1 to_TO0 start_VVI pivoting_VVG toward_PRP China_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP 's_VBZ not_XX0 about_PRP moving_VVG NATO_NP0 to_PRP Asia_NP0 ,_PUN "_PUQ he_PNP said_VVD ._SENT But_CJC ,_PUN he_PNP added_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ we_PNP need_VVB to_TO0 address_VVI the_AT0 challenges_NN2 that_CJT the_AT0 rise_NN1 of_PRF China_NP0 poses_VVZ to_PRP our_DPS security_NN1 even_AV0 though_CJS many_DT0 allies_NN2 have_VHB a_AT0 lot_NN1 of_PRF economic_AJ0 ties_NN2 with_PRP China_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 notion_NN1 of_PRF shifting_VVG NATO_NP0 's_POS attention_NN1 at_PRP least_AV0 somewhat_AV0 to_PRP China_NP0 extends_VVZ the_AT0 theme_NN1 of_PRF Biden_NP0 's_POS European_AJ0 trip_NN1 ,_PUN after_CJS he_PNP also_AV0 tried_VVD to_TO0 sharpen_VVI China-related_AJ0 discussions_NN2 at_PRP the_AT0 Group_NN1 of_PRF Seven_CRD summit_NN1 in_PRP Britain_NP0 ._SENT Biden_NP0 has_VHZ repeatedly_AV0 cast_VVN the_AT0 struggle_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 current_AJ0 generation_NN1 as_PRP one_CRD between_PRP democracies_NN2 and_CJC autocracies_NN2 such_DT0 as_PRP China_NP0 and_CJC Russia_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC he_PNP reiterated_VVD that_DT0 concern_NN1 at_PRP a_AT0 news_NN1 conference_NN1 Monday_NP0 in_PRP Britain_NP0 before_PRP departing_VVG for_PRP Brussels_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP 're_VBB in_PRP a_AT0 contest_NN1 —_PUN not_XX0 with_PRP China_NP0 per_PRP se_NN1 —_PUN but_CJC a_AT0 contest_NN1 with_PRP autocrats_NN2 ,_PUN autocratic_AJ0 governments_NN2 around_PRP the_AT0 world_NN1 ,_PUN as_CJS to_PRP whether_CJS or_CJC not_XX0 democracies_NN2 can_VM0 compete_VVI with_PRP them_PNP in_PRP the_AT0 rapidly_AV0 changing_AJ0 21st_ORD century_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Biden_NP0 said_VVD ._SENT 
