Australia switches to British and American nuclear submarines, China and France respond in anger-ABC News

U.S. Secretary of State Antody Blinken said after the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Summit (AUSMIN) that the U.S. will work with Australia to counter the pressure from China.

The day before, the United States and Australia and the United Kingdom jointly announced the establishment of the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) to strengthen the trilateral security partnership to assist Australia in building its first nuclear-powered submarine, which immediately triggered a strong reaction from all parties in the world.

Under the framework of the AUKUS security partnership, the agreement does not involve nuclear weapons, only the propulsion system of nuclear submarines.

In addition, Australia and the United States have reached a new military posture agreement, which will strengthen air cooperation by deploying all types of US military aircraft to Australia in turn.

The two sides also agreed to allow more US aircraft, maintenance personnel and military logistics personnel to station or visit Australia.

Secretary of Defense Peter Dutton expressed his support for the establishment of a base in Australia by the United States and the storage of bombs and other ammunition. He stated that this is in Australia’s national interest.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said after the summit that the partnership is suitable for combating coercion in the Indo-Pacific region.

Minister Payne said that Australia and the United States discussed competition with China on multiple levels at the summit, and this requires Australia to respond and improve repair capabilities.

But Minister Payne said at the same time, “This does not mean not engaging with China in constructive fields.”

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What is AUKUS?

According to the content of the joint statement, AUKUS mainly focuses on military cooperation, but also involves enhancing defense technology and industrial supply chain cooperation.

Australian Prime Minister Morrison stated in the statement that the partnership will be committed to protecting the “common values” of the three countries and “supporting the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.” The strengthened defense facilities can also help Australia “resist and respond to potential security challenges.”

The nuclear submarine construction project will be the first project carried out under this partnership. In the next 18 months, Australia will also set up a Nuclear-Powered Submarine Taskforce in the Department of Defence to advance this work.

In addition to the submarine project, the Australian government also stated that it will allow Australia to “quickly acquire” long-range strike capabilities in the next ten years.

Related projects include Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, Extended Range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, Extended Range Long Range for F/A-18F “Super Hornet” Anti-ship missiles (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles).

At the same time, the super-factor missiles and precision strike guided missiles jointly developed by Australia and the United States are also included. These issues will be included in the AUKUS consultation agenda in the next 18 months.

Prime Minister Morrison said that the Indo-Pacific region “is becoming more and more complex” and this will affect the three countries of Australia, Britain and the United States.

“The future of the Indo-Pacific will affect all of us[三个国家]Future,” Prime Minister Morrison said.

However, Australia had previously reached an agreement with the French government to carry out a conventional submarine construction project worth A$90 billion in Adelaide. But the establishment of the new partnership also means that the submarine project will end.

What does France say?

On the evening of the 17th local time, France announced the recall of its ambassadors to the United States and Australia. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (Jean-Yves Le Drian) accused the Australian government, saying that the establishment of AUKUS betrayed France.

The French government stated in the communiqué that the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled two ambassadors at the request of President Macron, adding that “this special decision was made due to the exceptional severity of the decision announced by the United States and Australia on September 15”.

The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “regret” for this.

In an interview with Radio France International (RFI), French Foreign Minister Le Drian accused the Morrison government of “stabbing France in the back” and said that this was not what allies should behave.

The foreign minister also lashed out at the United States, saying that he was angry with the United States for sabotaging the agreement, and compared Biden with his predecessor Trump, accusing the U.S. decision of “unpredictable.”

“When we faced unprecedented challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, the US’s choice caused allies and European partners like France to withdraw from the structural partnership with Australia,” Le Drian said in a public statement.

Currently, submarine construction projects in Australia and France have spent A$2 billion. In its statement, the Australian government stated that France is still an important partner of Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, and that the abandonment of cooperation with France is out of consideration for future needs.

“The accelerating changes in regional security make conventional submarines unsuitable for our combat needs in the coming decades,” the statement read.

How does China express its position?

The Chinese Embassy in Australia expressed firm opposition to the joint statement of the Australia-US Double Ministerial Meeting on September 17.

An embassy spokesperson said that Australia and the United States “on a series of China-related issues involving the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc.” are “groundless accusations and false statements of China.”

“We urge Australia to abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and narrow geopolitical concepts, to be able to truly handle relations with China independently and not to go further and further on the road of harming China-Australia relations.”

At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian severely criticized the establishment of the partnership, saying that the move “seriously undermines regional peace and stability, intensifies the arms race, and undermines international nuclear non-proliferation efforts.” .

The Chinese state media “Global Times” also published a commentary that the move was “hysteria in which the United States has pushed its alliance policy toward polarization.” The editorial stated that “Australia has nothing to do with China”, and choosing to form an alliance with the United States is “making itself an opponent of China.”

“But Australia is pursuing a one-sided policy toward the United States in the Sino-US strategic game… It is now also engaged in a nuclear submarine cruise that clearly targets China and escalates its confrontation with China,” the editorial wrote.

“However, no matter how much Australia arms itself, it is also the’running dog’ role of the United States.

“[澳大利亚]If, for this reason, it carries out even more arrogant provocations against China, or even commits military misconduct, China will definitely punish it unceremoniously. “

In recent years, just after the Australian government banned the Chinese technology giant Huawei from participating in 5G construction projects and called for an international independent traceability investigation of the new crown epidemic, the trade and diplomatic tension between Australia and China once attracted international attention.

What does Taiwan say?

In a response received by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that it “notes” the establishment of AUKUS and stated that it is “based on the three countries’ common commitment to the international order.”

“[台湾]”It has long shared the interests of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region with the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom and other countries with similar ideas,” said Ou Jiangan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China.

“Taiwan will continue to deepen its close partnership with the United States on the basis of the “Taiwan Relations Act” and the’Six Guarantees’ in the future, and jointly maintain a rule-based international order, as well as peace, stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. Prosperity.”

The two sides of the strait have been divided since 1949. Taiwan considers itself an independent democratic country, the Republic of China, while China insists that Taiwan is a separate province of the People’s Republic of China.

Oujiang’an said that Taiwan is an important hub of East Asia’s first island chain and has always played a key role in regional stability and prosperity.

“On the existing solid foundation, the Chinese government will continue to work closely with the United States, Australia and other countries with similar ideas to expand Taiwan’s international space, defend the democratic system and shared values, and the rules-based international order, and jointly safeguard India. Peace, stability and prosperity in the Pacific region.”

How did Australia react?

In Australia, the two former prime ministers from the Labor Party and the Liberal Party respectively called for speeding up the construction of the nuclear submarine fleet, saying that if preparations are not stepped up, Australia will be “invisible in strategic clothes” in the next 20 years.

The Federal Labor Party said it is believed that the new nuclear submarine may not be completed until 2040.

Former Labor Party Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that considering the current aging of the Navy’s Collins-class submarine fleet, this time is too long. He said Australia will be abandoned strategically for 20 years.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott also agreed with this statement in an interview with Sky News. Abbott stated that Australia’s time is tighter and the construction of the nuclear fleet should begin next year.

But at the same time, former Prime Minister Rudd also warned the federal government not to criticize China publicly, because Australia’s recent nuclear submarine deal with the United States and Britain would offset China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Should we be an ally lacking wisdom, take out big speakers, play anti-Beijing attacks at any time, and therefore draw a very large target on our foreheads? I think this is very unwise behavior. ,” Rudd said.

In addition, some Australian universities said they are ready for nuclear industry research.

The Australian Group of Eight (Go8) welcomed the opportunities brought about by the establishment of the Australia-UK-US Defense Alliance.

The Australian Eight Schools Alliance also emphasized their national defense qualifications and stated that researchers are ready to assist in the development of artificial intelligence, development of underwater capabilities, and nuclear industry labor training.

The Australian National University (ANU), which has been hit hard by the new crown epidemic, has the highest energy heavy ion accelerator in Australia.

ANU stated that the newly formed alliance will usher in a new era of nuclear science and also hopes to play a significant role in the development of nuclear capabilities.