Daily US Times: The US, UK, and Australia have announced to launch a special security pact to share advanced defence technologies, in an effort to counter China.
The special security pact will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time.
The pact will also cover quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and cyber.
The US, UK and Australia are worried about China’s growing power and military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
As a result of the pact, to be known as Aukus, Australia has scrapped a deal to build French-designed submarines.
In 2016, France won a A$50bn contract to build 12 submarines for the Australian Navy, which was Australia’s largest-ever defence contract.
However, the project delays several times largely because of Australia’s requirement that many components be sourced locally.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison issued a joint statement on Wednesday on the launch of the new security partnership.
The statement said: “As the first initiative under Aukus… we commit to a shared ambition to support Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.”
Biden, Jhonson and Morrison said the aim of the partnership was to “bring an Australian capability into service at the earliest achievable date”.
“Australia remains committed to fulfilling all of its obligations as a non-nuclear weapons state,” the statement added.
It went on to say that the defence pact would also focus on artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and “additional undersea capabilities”.
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