Aukus: US, Australia, UK leaders set to reveal details of nuclear submarine deal as China warns of arms race

Biden, Albanese and Sunak will gather in San Diego to flesh out the pact that experts say seeks to convince China ‘that it is no longer operating in a permissive security environment’

Beijing has accused the three countries of setting back nuclear non-proliferation efforts, but Australia has made clear that it will not pursue atomic weapons

Reading Time:3 minutes

A US naval submarine base in San Diego, California. File photo: AP

Published: 2:31pm, 11 Mar 2023

The leaders of the United States, Britain and Australia meet on Monday in San Diego with an expected announcement on nuclear submarines, a landmark step in military cooperation as concerns grow over a fast-rising China.

US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will gather in the California naval hub to flesh out the new three-way security pact dubbed Aukus which the nations unveiled in September 2021.

The key element of Aukus was a US agreement to export to Australia its prized technology of nuclear-powered submarines, previously shared only with Britain when it designed its undersea fleet in the 1960s.

Ahead of the expected announcement for British-built submarines with US parts, China warned that Aukus risked setting off an arms race and accused the three countries of setting back nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

“We urge the US, the UK and Australia to abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, honour international obligations in good faith and do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

Australia has made clear that it will not pursue nuclear weapons, unlike its two allies.

But nuclear-powered submarines would allow Australia in the coming decades to maintain an underwater presence for months on end, offering an advantage as China’s military expands its reach.