Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will fly to California to meet with his Australian and American colleagues to discuss the specifics of a new defence accord. The goal of the 2021 Aukus accord is to confront China’s perceived threat in the Indo-Pacific area.
China has denounced the accord as “very reckless.” The leaders are likely to finalise the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia during their meeting. This action follows the deterioration of diplomatic ties between the West and China.
Perspective Of Rishi Sunak Regarding The AUKUS Defence Pact
According to Sunak, the United Kingdom’s worldwide alliances are “our greatest source of power and security.” On his tour, he will reveal the UK’s new integrated review of defence and foreign policy, which has been modified in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The review will reflect “the future we want to provide” for the United Kingdom, which will be “safe, wealthy, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies.”
Plans Of Australia With Respect To The AUKUS Pact
Australia being the seventh nation in the world to deploy nuclear-powered submarines, after the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, and Russia, might herald a power shift in the Asia-Pacific area as a result of the Aukus deal.
The concept calls for the construction of nuclear submarines at Adelaide, South Australia, with the United Kingdom and the United States contributing technological advice.
In addition to submarines, the treaty stipulates the exchange of information and technology in sectors ranging from intelligence and quantum technology to the procurement of cruise missiles.
The UK hopes that the Aukus accord will generate work for UK shipyards, with sources indicating that Australia may choose to build a modified version of the British Astute-class submarine, while receiving up to five Virginia-class submarines from the United States during the manufacturing phase.
Rising Tensions Between The Superpowers
But, the ratification of the accord triggered a dispute with France, which lost a contract to build 12 submarines for Australia. The Aukus deal is only one instance of the escalating tensions between the West and China, as the United States and China continue to dispute over matters such as Taiwan, China’s militarization of the South China Sea, and the origins of Covid-19.
The diplomatic crisis precipitated by the incident with the spy balloon has indeed increased tensions between the superpowers.
Follow more updates on our homepage.