US, Australia and UK reach landmark deal to defend against Chinese threat

United States, Australia and United Kingdom announced this wednesday an ambitious defense pact to stand up to China in the Indo-Pacific, and this will include the development of nuclear submarines for Australians.

The alliance, called AUKUS by the initials in English of the three Anglo-Saxon countries, aims to strengthen trilateral cooperation in advanced defense technologies such as artificial intelligence, underwater systems and long-range surveillance.

“Our nations, and indeed the world, depend on a free and open Indo-Pacific that lasts and thrives for decades to come.US President Joe Biden said in statements to the White House press.

Biden didn’t mention Chinaand neither did Australia’s prime ministers, Scott Morrison; and the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson; who gave speeches on the subject by telematics, through televisions installed on both sides of the American president.

However, the United States has made it clear its interest in containing China’s advance in the Pacific and, with the New Deal, it wants to get more involved in this mission. “Towards Europe, and in particular towards the United Kingdom”a senior US government official explained in a phone call with reporters.

So far, the United States has only shared its technology for developing nuclear-powered submarines with one country, the UK, something he did in 1958said the aforementioned official, who requested to remain anonymous.

It becomes “historical“, said the source, the fact that the United States and the United Kingdom have decided to” add “now to Australia to this agreement, with the commitment to help Royal Australian Navy to acquire nuclear submarines.

In his speech, Biden stressed that the submarines Australia gets will not have “nuclear weapons“, but they will be”conventionally armed“, corn “powered by nuclear reactors”. “It is a proven technology, and it is safe,” assured the US president.

The three countries have set a deadline of 18 months, until the first quarter of 2023, to find the “best way” to develop Australian submarines “as soon as possible”, bringing together knowledge from the US and UK, indicates a statement from the three heads of government.

“Australia is not trying to acquire nuclear weapons or establish civilian nuclear capability”Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised in his virtual speech at the event chaired by Biden.

The pact with Washington and London could lead to the cancellation of another agreement that Australia had already concluded with France for the construction of 12 submarines, according to the Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald.

Neither Morrison nor the White House have confirmed the possible suspension of this pact between Canberra and Paris, evaluated at 50 billion dollars (35,510 million dollars or 31,355 million euros) and whose execution was delayed due to certain demands of the ocean country.

The British Prime Minister, for his part, underlined the ambition of the project, and considered it as a “reflection of the depth of friendship“Between the three nations.

“It will be one of the most complex and technically demanding projects in the world. It will last for decades and will require the latest technology“Boris Johnson said of the nuclear submarine project for Australia.

In the longer term, the three Anglo-Saxon countries undertake to strengthen their cooperation in “abilities cybernetics, intelligence artificial, quantum technologies and additional submarine capabilities“According to the joint statement.

The announcement came a week before Biden would host the next White House September 24 a summit with the leaders of Australia, the India and Japan, with whom he maintains an alliance to counter the power of China.

The four countries form the “quad”, an alliance created in 2007 in response to Beijing’s military boom. Biden will receive Australian Prime Ministers Scott Morrison in person at the White House; from India, Narendra Modi; and from Japan, Yoshihide Suga.

(With information from EFE)

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