- Sputnik International, 1920, 21.09.2021
AUKUS
On 15 September, the US, UK, and Australia announced the new trilateral AUKUS defence partnership. While the partners said it's designed to protect and defend "our shared interests in the Indo-Pacific", some experts believe the true purpose of the partnership is to counter China.

'Like Throwing Toothpicks at Mountain': Ex-Australian PM Mocks Effect of AUKUS Subs Plan on China

CC0 / LA(Phot) Will Haigh / Astute class submarine HMS Ambush is pictured during sea trials near Scotland
Astute class submarine HMS Ambush is pictured during sea trials near Scotland - Sputnik International, 1920, 10.11.2021
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Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed Australia’s decision to participate in the creation of the AUKUS security agreement as "extremely irresponsible" in terms of the impact on nuclear non-proliferation.
Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has lashed out at the new AUKUS alliance between Washington, London, and Canberra, warning that Australia should avoid being drawn into a war with China.

Referring to Australia’s plan to cooperate with the US and the UK to buy nuclear-powered submarines in line with the AUKUS pact, Keating argued that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government was wrongly “trying to find our security from Asia rather than in Asia”.

The ex-prime minister bashed hardline national security advisers who “can’t wait to get the staplers back on to the Americans”, insisting that purchasing nuclear powered submarines would hardly damage China’s combat capability.
“Eight submarines against China when we get the submarines in 20 years’ time – it’ll be like throwing a handful of toothpicks at the mountain”, Keating said.
He apparently referred to an AUKUS clause that stipulates Australia acquiring eight nuclear-powered submarines either of the US Virginia class or the UK Astute class. The vessels are slated to enter service before the end of next decade.
Chinese and U.S. flags flutter outside a company building in Shanghai, China April 14, 2021. - Sputnik International, 1920, 22.10.2021
AUKUS
AUKUS: Will Australia's Fault Lines With ASEAN Limit US' Ambitions to Contain China in Indo-Pacific?
The former Labor leader on Wednesday accused the major Australian political parties of losing their way on foreign policy, while dismissing the credibility of the UK’s “tilt” to the Indo-Pacific region.
Keating also argued that Beijing was “in the adolescent phase of their diplomacy” and had “testosterone running everywhere”, claiming that Australia had no alternative but to engage with China. He suggested that Canberra could have a “civil relationship” with Beijing, although they may disagree on a spate of issues.

China Concerned Over Australia Joining AUKUS

The remarks came a week after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin bashed Canberra's move to become part of the AUKUS alliance as "extremely irresponsible" from the point of view of nuclear non-proliferation.
Wenbin asserted that driven by the "pursuit of its own interests", Australia has not only undermined regional peace and stability, but has also violated its international obligations in the non-proliferation sphere by joining AUKUS. The spokesman urged Canberra to change its course and amend its "mistakes".

"The Australian government should […] abandon the Cold War mentality, conscientiously fulfil its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations, earnestly safeguard regional peace and stability and give a responsible answer to the international community”, Wang pointed out.

He was echoed by another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, who previously said that the AUKUS pact “seriously damages regional peace and stability, intensifies the arms race, and undermines the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons”.
In this photo taken Dec. 17, 2019 and released Dec. 27, 2019 by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese honor guard raise the Chinese flag during the commissioning ceremony of China's Shandong aircraft carrier at a naval port in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province - Sputnik International, 1920, 16.09.2021
AUKUS
China Warns Against Exclusionary Blocs After AUKUS Launched
In mid-September, Australia abandoned a $66 billion contract to buy 12 diesel-powered submarines from France's Naval Group company in favour of a defence pact, AUKUS, with the US and the UK, under which the partners promised to enhance Australia's fleet with nuclear-powered submarines.
This prompted an angry reaction from France, with Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian accusing Australia of betraying the mutual trust between the countries and dubbing Canberra’s move “a stab in the back”.
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