Three amigos: New security pact with US and UK will see Australia go nuclear
Australia will build nuclear-powered submarines as part of a landmark security pact with the United States and the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday announced the historic agreement, which also paves the way for Australiaās $90 billion French submarine deal to be scrapped.
The new AUKUS trilateral security partnership will allow the three countries to share technology covering cyber security, artificial intelligence, underwater systems and long-range strike capabilities.
The pact is expected to rankle an increasingly assertive China.
Over the next 18 months, Australia will investigate building a nuclear submarine fleet in partnership with the UK and US.
āWe intend to build these submarines in Adelaide in close cooperation with the United Kingdom and the United States,ā Morrison said.
āBut let me be clear. Australia is not seeking to establish nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability.
āWe will continue to meet all of our nuclear non-proliferation obligations.ā
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Morrison joined US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in making a joint statement confirming the pact.
āToday, we join our nations in the next generation partnership, built on a strong foundation of proven trust,ā Morrison said.
āWe have always seen the world through a similar lens.
āWe have always believed in a world that favours freedom, that respects human dignity, the rule of law, the independence of sovereign states and the peaceful fellowship of nations.ā
In 2016, the federal government enlisted the French shipbuilder Naval Group to build a new submarine fleet to replace Australiaās ageing Collins Class submarines.
The deal involved building 12 new submarines in Adelaide, with the first of the new vessels to enter service around 2035.
But the project has been hit by heavy delays and massive cost blowouts.
Boris Johnson said the AUKUS pact aimed to preserve peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
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āWeāre opening a new chapter in our friendship,ā he said.
āThe first task of this partnership will be to help Australia acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.ā
Biden said the pact was a historic step to deepen and formalise co-operation between the three nations.
āWe all recognise the imperative of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific over the long-term,ā he said.
Chinaās Washington embassy reacted to a new security pact announced by the US, the UK and Australia by saying that countries should āshake off their Cold-War mentality and ideological prejudiceā.
Asked to comment, Chinese embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said countries āshould not build exclusionary blocs targeting or harming the interests of third parties. In particular, they should shake off their Cold-War mentality and ideological prejudice.ā
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made it clear Australiaās new nuclear submarine fleet would not be welcome in that nationās waters.
New Zealand has been staunchly nuclear-free for decades, earning the ire of the United States by declining visits from nuclear-powered ships.
āNew Zealand is first and foremost a nation of the Pacific and we view foreign policy developments through the lens of what is in the best interest of the region,ā Ardern said.
āNew Zealandās position in relation to the prohibition of nuclear powered vessels in our waters remains unchanged.ā
Federal cabinet ministers were summoned to a secret meeting in Canberra on Wednesday ahead of the announcement after beingĀ granted border exemptions to enter the ACT.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne are already in Washington for theĀ 31st annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations, or AUSMIN.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and three other members of his frontbench were also briefed on the sensitive matter.
Morrison is due to travel to Washington next week for a meeting of the Quad alliance of the US, India, Japan and Australia.
-with Reuters
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