China and France attack U.s.-australia deal on nuclear-fueled subs

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Thursday was fielding acute anger from a rival, China, and one of its closest allies, France, over a pact that will help Australia develop nuclear-powered submarines.

The nuclear deal, which also includes the United Kingdom, was announced by President Joe Biden on

Wednesday and immediately threatened to aggravate tensions with Beijing and potentially damage an improving relationship with Paris.

It gives Australia U.S. technology to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier, have longer and deeper range, and are more sophisticated than conventional subs. The agreement was seen as a major step in Biden’s vow to form a grand alliance to curb China’s economic and military influence in the Indo-pacific region. U.S. tensions with China are on the rise, and containing Beijing is a top Biden administration foreign policy priority.

Beijing on Thursday expressed predictable outrage at the deal, criticizing it for embracing a cold war mentality that will stoke an arms race, damage international nonproliferation efforts and threaten regional peace and stability.

The United States and Britain “are using nuclear exports for geopolitical gaming tools and applying double standards which is extremely irresponsible,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said. He called on the pair, with Australia, to “shake off their cold war mentality and do more to contribute to peace and stability.”

French leaders on Thursday expressed indignation, saying they were completely blindsided by the submarine deal — criticism that would seem to undercut the Biden administration’s efforts to repair relationships with allies that it asserts were neglected under President Donald Trump.

The pact leaves France in the lurch by scuttling a $66 billion deal that Paris won five years ago to supply Australia with conventional and less powerful submarines.