The plan was announced in 2021 and will not produce tangible results until 2032, but China has shown its annoyance time and time again. The AUKUS, the union of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to counter Beijing’s expansionism in the Indo-Pacific region, entered a new chapter with the meeting of the leaders of the three countries at San Diego naval base , California, to form a partnership centered on nuclear submarines, as well as exchange of information and technology.
“The U.S. has ensured security in the Indo-Pacific for decades – to the enormous benefit of countries in all regions. Our leadership has benefited the world: we have kept waterways and airspace open and navigable for all,” said Joe Biden . having the USS Missouri in the background and flanked by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak.
“At a turning point in history, the US cannot ask for better partners,” the US president said before revealing that his country will invest $4.6 billion by 2028 to expand its construction and maintenance capabilities. of Virginia-class enlargement submarines.
“The Virginia class offers state-of-the-art propulsion technology and offers stealth and maneuverability,” said Joe Biden.
Days earlier, Reuters and the Washington message progressed with the news that the Canberra deal means Australia must have the first nuclear-powered submarines by 2032. In this way, it will join the limited club of countries with nuclear ships (US, UK, France, China, Russia and India) .
Until then, Australian crews will be trained in a first phase by joining US schools and submarines. By 2027, Washington and London will have a rotating submarine in Perth, Australia. In what is considered Australia’s largest-ever defense investment, it is expected to acquire three Virginia-class submarines from the US early in the next decade, with the option to purchase two more, each cost about $3 billion.
The partnership provides for a second phase, in which from the middle of the next decade, a new model of submarine designed by the British and with the transfer of nuclear and sonar technology from the US – the SSN-AUKUS class – will be built at the Adelaide shipyards.
A $100 billion project to replace the six conventional and older Collins-class submarines, after former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison canceled the project in 2021 to acquire 12 French attack submarines for $66 billion. The diplomatic storm of the measure – which left Paris furious – was settled when Canberra compensated the French company Naval Group with 555 million euros.
Who also did not hide the anger was China. “We urge the US, UK and Australia to move away from Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, to honor international commitments in good faith and to do more things conducive to regional peace and stability,” said China’s foreign ministry. spokesman Mao Ning.
But a few hours later, Rishi Sunak escalated tension by saying that “China is a country with fundamentally different values from ours and a challenge to the world order”. The head of the UK government has announced an additional £5bn investment in defense over the next two years.
Source: DN
