China attacks deal, says will aggravate arms race in region
CHINA ALWAYS believes that any regional mechanism must go with the trend of the times for peace and development and should be conducive to mutual trust and cooperation between the regional countries.
Beijing, Sept. 16: China on Thursday sharply criticised the US, the UK and Australia’s trilateral military partnership under which Canberra would be assisted to build nuclearpowered submarines for the first time, saying it would closely monitor the pact that will gravely undermine regional stability and aggravate the arms race and hurt international non-proliferation efforts.
The remarks of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian came after the US, the UK and Australia announced a new trilateral security alliance for the IndoPacific to take on the threats of the 21st century and allow for greater sharing of defence capabilities, including help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Under the historic pact — seen as an effort to counter China’s growing power and military presence in the strategically vital region — Australia will be assisted to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time, using American technology.
Zhao, when asked for his reaction to the trilateral defence pact, said, “the US, the UK and Australia are engaging in a cooperation in nuclear powered submarines that gravely undermines regional peace and stability, aggravate arms race and hurts the international non-proliferation efforts.”
The US and UK are about to export highly-sensitive nuclear powered submarine technology to Australia. This once again shows that they are using nuclear exports for geopolitical gaming tools and applying double standards which is extremely irresponsible.
Australia is a nonnuclear weapons state, party to the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) and a party to the nuclear weapon free zone in the southern pacific. Now it is importing nuclear powered submarine technology which is of strategic military value, Zhao told a media briefing here.
The international community, including the neighbouring countries, have raised questions on its commitment to nuclear non-perforation, he said.
China will closely monitor the situation.
China always believes that any regional mechanism must go with the trend of the times for peace and development and should be conducive to mutual trust and cooperation between the regional countries. They should not target any third party or harm third party’s interests.