These negotiations, apparently, can become a harbinger of a transition to a new stage in the development of the AUKUS trilateral defense alliance, whose members are Australia, Britain and the United States. The Anglo-Saxon Alliance, which some experts have dubbed the “Asian branch of NATO”, aims to contain China.
Australia’s acquisition of nuclear submarines could shift the balance of power in the Pacific
London has already announced its intention to significantly increase defense spending. “The 2023 Comprehensive Review Update confirms that a further £5 billion will be made available to the Ministry of Defense over the next two years to help replenish and maintain critical munitions stocks, to modernize the UK’s nuclear facility and to fund the next phase of the AUKUS submarine programme,” he said on the UK government’s official website. Beijing has pointed out that the measures taken under AUKUS are causing an arms race in the region.
A comment
Igor Istomin, Senior Researcher, Center for Advanced American Studies, IMI MGIMO, Russian Foreign Ministry:
- The agreement on the joint construction of nuclear submarines with Australia attracts additional attention, since few states have a fleet of nuclear submarines. To date, six countries use such submarines. If Australia obtains nuclear submarines, it will be added to this list. There is a risk of violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) because quite significant technologies and capabilities in the nuclear field will be transferred to a non-nuclear state. However, the United States and Britain say that while Australia will have nuclear-powered submarines, it will be armed with conventional weapons. However, there are many questions regarding specific details.
