U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks about a national security initiative on September 15, 2021 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. President Biden is joined virtually by Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. Featuring: President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Prime Minister Scott Morrison Where: Washington, District Of Columbia, United States When: 15 Sep 2021 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages/Cover Images

Ben Burke Producer

International

US, Great Britain, Australia team up in move seen as provocative to China

Sep 16, 2021

Ben Burke Producer

By Ben Burke (Producer)

United States President Joe Biden, Great Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a new alliance focused on the Indo-Pacific region Wednesday night. The video above includes clips from the announcement.

“We need to be able to address both the current strategic environment in the region and how it may evolve,” President Biden said. “The future of each of our nations and indeed the world depends on a free and open Pacific enduring and flourishing in the decades ahead.”

The alliance with Great Britain and Australia, dubbed AUKUS, will allow for greater sharing of defense capabilities. This includes helping equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

“I want to be exceedingly clear about this, we’re not talking about nuclear armed submarines,” Biden said. “These are conventionally armed submarines that are powered by nuclear reactors. This technology is proven, it’s safe in the United States and U.K. have been operating nuclear powered submarines for decades.”

None of the leaders mentioned China in their remarks. A senior Biden administration official even played down the idea the alliance between the U.S., Great Britain and Australia was meant to serve as a deterrent against China before the announcement.

“This partnership is not aimed or about any one country,” the official said. “It’s about advancing our strategic interests, upholding the international rules-based order, and promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

However, the alliance is likely to be seen as a provocative action against Beijing.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the alliance between the U.S., Great Britain and Australia, saying it “severely damages regional peace and stability, intensifies the arms race, and jeopardizes the international efforts in promoting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”

“The U.S. and U.K.’s action of exporting highly sensitive nuclear submarine technology once again proves that they are using nuclear exports as a tool for geopolitical games and adapts double standards,” Zhao Lijian said. “This is a highly irresponsible act.”

The senior Biden administration officials said in addition to Great Britain and Australia, the alliance will eventually include New Zealand, France and others. Despite this, French officials were not happy with the announcement.

“It is really a stab in the back. We built a relationship of trust with Australia, and this trust was betrayed and I’m angry today, with a lot of bitterness, about this breach (of contract),” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. “This is not done between allies, especially when there’s been two years of negotiations for this contract.”

Tags: Joe Biden

Joe Biden, U.S. President: “Today, we’re taking another historic step to deepen and formalize cooperation among all three of our nations because we all recognize the imperative of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific over the long term. We need to be able to address both the current strategic environment in the region and how it may evolve, because the future of each of our nations and indeed the world depends on a free and open in a Pacific enduring and flourishing in the decades ahead.”

“This is about investing in our greatest source of strength, our alliances, and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow. It’s about connecting America’s existing allies and partners in new ways and amplifying our ability to collaborate, recognizing there is no regional divide separating the interests of our Atlantic and Pacific partners.”

Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister: “We’re opening a new chapter in our friendship, and the first task of this partnership will be to help Australia acquire a fleet of nuclear powered submarines, emphasizing, of course, that the submarines in question will be powered by nuclear reactors, not armed with nuclear weapons. And our work will be fully in line with our non-proliferation obligations.”

Scott Morrison, Australian Prime Minister: “But let me be clear, Australia is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish a civil nuclear capability, and we will continue to meet all our nuclear non-proliferation obligations. Australia has a long history of defense cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom. For more than a century, we have stood together for the cause of peace and freedom, motivated by the beliefs we share, sustained by the bonds of friendship we have forged, enabled by the sacrifice of those who have gone before us and inspired by our shared hope for those who will follow us. And so today, friends, we recommit ourselves to this cause and a new AUKUS vision.”