Briefing for China on Aussie subs deal

CHINA will be briefed on Australia’s multibillion-dollar plan to buy nuclear-powered subs despite accusing the AUKUS partners of going down a “path of error and danger”.

In recent days, more than 60 nations have taken up a briefing by the federal government as ministers and bureaucrats seek to allay nuclear proliferation fears.

Beijing did not initially take up the call when offered by Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week, but she confirmed officials were to take part in a briefing on Wednesday.

“We are having a general diplomatic corps briefing, and I understand China will be attending along with many other countries, and that is a good thing,” she said.

China reiterated concerns about sharing weapons-grade nuclear materials from the UK and US to Australia, a non-nuclear nation.

Spokesman Wang Wenbin said the AUKUS pact would only “spur an arms race … and harm peace and stability”.

It’s a stance the Australian government has repeatedly denied, stressing that while the vessels would be nuclear-powered, the fleet would not be armed with nuclear weapons.

Under the “optimal pathway” revealed on Tuesday, Australia will undertake a three-phase acquisition plan at an estimated cost of $268bn to $368bn over the next 30 years.

The government was quick to dismiss China’s comments, pointing to Beijing’s own rapid military build-up.

Speaking from Adelaide, where he announced the signing of a co-operation agreement between the SA and federal governments to support the build of the AUKUS submarines, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia would be “condemned by history” if it did not respond.

“We have witnessed the single biggest conventional military build-up anywhere in the world since the end of the Second World War,” he said.

Asked about the mammoth cost of the build, Mr Marles said Defence was expected to cover the initial $9bn cost over the next four years.

“A growing Defence budget is one of the pressures on the federal budget,” he said.