The United States, Britain, and Australia's insistence on promoting cooperation on nuclear submarines has raised international concerns about cooperation | nuclear submarines | society

Beijing, June 10th (Xinhua) -- The United States, Britain, and Australia's insistence on promoting cooperation on nuclear submarines has raised international concerns

Xinhua News Agency reporter

The June Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency was recently held in Vienna, Austria, and the issue of cooperation between the United States, Britain, and Australia on nuclear submarines has attracted attention from all parties. Driven by China, this institution has deliberated on this issue for the eighth consecutive time in the form of intergovernmental discussions.

Analysts point out that the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia hold a Cold War mentality and insist on promoting cooperation on nuclear submarines, which has raised concerns in the international community. This move sets a dangerous precedent, exacerbates the risk of nuclear proliferation, impacts the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and seriously threatens regional peace and stability.

International community questioning

On the 8th, Li Song, the Permanent Representative of China to the International Atomic Energy Agency, made a special speech, pointing out that the essence of cooperation between the United States, Britain, and Australia on nuclear submarines is that as a nuclear weapon country, the United States and Britain engage in nuclear submarine cooperation with non nuclear weapon countries and military ally Australia, involving the transfer of several tons of weapon grade highly enriched uranium. For well-known geopolitical purposes, the United States, Britain, and Australia have boldly carried out the above-mentioned strategic military cooperation, unprecedented in crossing the threshold of the principles and practices of the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This seriously impacts the international nuclear non-proliferation system and poses a serious challenge to institutional safeguards and supervision mechanisms.

China urges the United States, Britain, and Australia to respond to the concerns of the international community with practical actions, faithfully fulfill their nuclear non-proliferation obligations, and maintain open and transparent communication with other parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Representatives from more than 20 countries, including Russia, Pakistan, and Egypt, spoke during the Council session, echoing China's position and propositions.

Since the announcement of the US UK Australia nuclear submarine cooperation plan, it has faced many doubts from the international community, but the three countries have stubbornly pushed forward with this plan. In March this year, the United States, Britain, and Australia announced a cooperation plan for nuclear submarines. According to the tripartite joint statement issued by the Australian government, starting from 2023, increase the number of visits by US nuclear submarines to Australian ports; Starting from 2026, increase the number of visits by British nuclear submarines to Australian ports; Starting from 2027, the United States and Britain will take turns deploying nuclear powered submarines in Australia.

In terms of buying and selling nuclear submarines, the three parties expect that the United States will sell three Virginia class attack nuclear submarines to Australia as early as the 1930s, and may sell two more as needed. Australia will also collaborate with the UK to develop and produce a new type of nuclear submarine in Australia.

Threatening Nuclear Non Proliferation Mechanisms

In this cooperation, the United States, Britain, and Australia claimed to abide by nuclear non-proliferation commitments under the guise of "naval power reactors", but their actions were actually the first time in history that a nuclear weapon state had transferred a nuclear submarine power reactor and a large amount of weapon grade highly enriched uranium to a non nuclear weapon state.

On May 24th, the Australian website "Pearl and Stimulus" published a joint open letter, consisting of over 100 scholars, international experts, and former diplomats from universities such as the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne, calling on the Australian government to pay attention to their concerns about the cooperation between the US, UK, and Australia on nuclear submarines. The open letter points out that in the future, the Australian Navy's nuclear reactors will be fueled with weapon grade uranium and will not be bound by the conventional safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency on the grounds of protecting sensitive military information of the United States. This has set a disturbing precedent for other non nuclear weapon states and may undermine international control mechanisms to prevent nuclear proliferation.

"If the nuclear submarines cooperating with the three parties do not intend to carry nuclear weapons, why would they need highly enriched uranium instead of low-grade uranium sufficient for nuclear fuel?" A commentary article in the South China Morning Post recently questioned.

At the same time, the so-called nuclear safety guarantees made by the three parties have not been recognized by the local people in Australia. In early May, thousands of Australians gathered at the port of Kenbla to protest against the Australian federal government's intention to build a nuclear submarine base at this eastern port in accordance with the US UK Australia cooperation agreement.

Disrupting regional stability

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen stated on the 5th that the Nuclear Submarine Cooperation Alliance, composed of the United States, Britain, and Australia, is becoming a highly concerned issue for ASEAN. He said that this military alliance is the starting point of a very dangerous arms race in the region, and if this situation continues, the world will face greater danger.

Analysts point out that some Western countries, such as the United States, claim to support regional mechanisms centered around ASEAN while actively promoting cooperation on nuclear submarines in an attempt to attract small circles, undermine peace and stability, and cause dissatisfaction among regional countries.

After the US, UK, and Australia announced specific cooperation plans in March this year, Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia expressed concerns about this, fearing that it would exacerbate the regional arms race. Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating said that this cooperation is the "worst decision" of the Australian government in a century, which is not conducive to Australia's own interests and regional security.

In the view of Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the International University of Beltai in Cambodia, the cooperation between the United States, Britain, and Australia on nuclear submarines poses a significant security threat to ASEAN and the entire Asian region. This alliance will trigger a conventional and nuclear arms race in the region, undermine peace and security, disrupt economic development, and undermine ASEAN's central position.

Veronica Sharaswati, a researcher at the Indonesian Center for International Strategic Research, a think tank, pointed out that providing attack type nuclear submarines to Australia indicates that the United States still has a Cold War mentality and is attempting to strengthen its power building with allies. The so-called establishment of strategic balance to maintain stability in Southeast Asia is just an excuse for the US, UK, and Australia to implement military intervention and political manipulation in the region, which will inevitably lead to regional chaos and destruction.

Ma Kaishuo, an outstanding researcher at the Asian Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore, also believes that the US UK Australia alliance is a step back from the past, rather than moving towards the future.