The United States, United Kingdom and Australia have announced a historic security pact in the Asia-Pacific region in an effort to counter China.
Under the agreement reached between the trio, now known as AUKUS, will be able to share information and expertise in key technological areas such as underwater systems, cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum, and long-range strike capabilities.
One of the main aims of the AUKUS security pact will be to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines over next 18 months.
A new class of nuclear-powered submarines would strengthen the U.S. and its allies capabilities in the South China Sea, and provide Western alliance with a new tool to contain Chinese military in the region. In recent years, the UK has been actively deploying its aircraft carrier to the region, while German and French warships have also made transits in the South China Sea.
Previously, the United States only shared the nuclear propulsion technology with the United Kingdom under an arrangement reached to counter the threat from the then Soviet Union.
The U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized during the White House briefing that the U.S. and allies “recognize the imperative of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific over the long term,” and stressed on the urgency to “address both the current strategic environment in the region.”
President Biden stated that the future of Western alliance as well as the world “depends on a free and open Indo-Pacific enduring and flourishing in the decades ahead.”
Although the deal between the U.S., UK and Australia does not explicitly mention China, the U.S. officials have acknowledged that the announcement of security pact is an effort by the Western allies to push back on China’s rise in the military and technology fields.
In recent years, the Western alliance has repeatedly accused China for raising tensions in the the South China Sea and disputed territories.
The UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speaking to the BBC, stated that China was “embarking on one of the biggest military spends in history”, and accused the Chinese air force and navy for adopting an aggressive stance toward its neighbors
Ben Wallace stated that the AUKUS pact is not about antagonizing anyone, but recognized that the Western nations’ partners in the Asia-Pacific region should stand their own ground and defend their sovereignty.
China has condemned the security agreement by calling it an “extremely irresponsible” move. Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the security pact “seriously undermines regional peace and stability and intensifies the arms race.”
Chinese embassy in Washington also accused the countries of a “Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice”, the Wall Street Journal and the Reuters news agency reported.
The announcement comes amid increasing competition between China and the U.S. and its allies in the region, predominantly over Taiwan and the disputed waters in the South China Sea, where China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have claims.
The U.S. accuse China for aggressively advancing its military, growing missile arsenal, and threatening the regional stability by unlawfully sailing naval and fishing ships in international waters and declaring dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. supports the claims of regional countries and continue to build partnerships to counter China, while Chinese officials assert that the territory that falls within the nine-dash line in the South China Sea belongs to China.
