Beijing’s “massive” military build-up increases the threat of conflict across the Taiwan Strait in a way that could draw Russia and thus European forces into the fray, Nato’s secretary general warned on Monday.

Speaking to reporters ahead of this week’s Nato summit in The Hague, Mark Rutte also said Nato enjoyed a close relationship with its Indo-Pacific partners – namely Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand – as it ramped up the member states’ defence industrial base.

On the question of whether Nato would follow the US and come to its aid if Beijing tried to invade Taiwan, Rutte said the group’s Indo-Pacific partners were “very, very aware” of the People’s Liberation Army’s “massive” military build-up now under way.

The Nato chief pointed to several Chinese defence companies ranking among the world’s top arms makers in arguing that Beijing’s expansion had reached levels that were “never” before seen.

Rutte said the associated defence industrial production capabilities could have a “huge impact” on not just the Indo-Pacific region but also European security.