Criticism Of The US-UK-Australia Nuclear Submarine Deal Could Trigger Weapons Race, China: Cold War Mentality

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak detailed AUKUS' plans. (Twitter/@POTUS)

JAKARTA - Nuclear submarine cooperation between Australia, the United States and Britain (AUKUS) could trigger an arms race, Chinese Defense Ministry officials said on Thursday, assessing it to be useless and dangerous.

"Once the 'pandora box' is opened, regional strategic balance will be disrupted, regional security will be seriously threatened," said Tan Kefei, spokesman for China's Ministry of Defense, at a news conference.

The United States, Australia, and Britain this month revealed details of plans regarding the provision of nuclear-powered attack submarines to Australia from the early 2030s to offset China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

"Chirts firmly oppose the formation of a so-called 'trilateral security partnership' between the United States, Britain and Australia. This small circle dominated by the Cold War mentality is useless and very dangerous," Tan criticized.

He added that such cooperation is an extension of the nuclear prevention policies of each country, a game tool to build an Asia-Pacific version of "NATO" and seriously affects peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier, speaking at a ceremony at the US naval base in San Diego, accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the middle of this month, President Joe Biden called the agreement under the 2021 AUKUS partnership part of a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, with two of America's most powerful and capable allies.

PM Sunak called it a "strong partnership," adding: "For the first time, this means three submarine fleets are working together across the Atlantic and Pacific to keep our oceans free over the next few decades."

Under the deal, Washington intends to sell three US-made Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, created by General Dynamics, in the early 2030s, with the option for Australia to buy two more submarines if needed, a joint statement said.

It said the multi-stage project would lead to the production and operation of new British and Australian-class submarines - SSN-AUKUS - a "trilaterally developed" ship based on Britain's upcoming generation design to be built in the UK and Australia and includes US "final" technology.

Britain will receive its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the late 2030s, and Australia will receive its first submarine in the early 2040s. The ships will be built by BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce.

Thank you, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Sunak.The United States could not ask for two better friends or partners to stand with as we work to create a safer, more peaceful future for people everywhere. pic.twitter.com/XCetKv4c8I

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 14, 2023

"The AUKUS agreement that we confirm here in San Diego is the largest single investment in Australia's defense capabilities in our history, which strengthens Australia's national security and stability in our region," PM Albanese said at the ceremony.

Interestingly, President Biden stressed the submarine would be nuclear-powered, not nuclear-armed:

"These ships will not have nuclear weapons in any form," he stressed.