The Australian authorities did not promise the United States to support them in the event of a military conflict over Taiwan in exchange for receiving nuclear submarines (NPS) under the AUKUS partnership, Australian Defense Secretary Richard Marles told ABC on Sunday.
“Of course, the answer is no. Definitely not. And there was no such talk,” he said in response to the question whether Australia would receive three Virginia-class nuclear submarines, provided that they come to the aid of Washington in the event of a conflict with the PRC over Taiwan.
He assured that the Australian authorities will have sole control over these nuclear submarines after their delivery in the early 2030s.
The minister also said that Australia needs nuclear submarines to protect key sea trade routes. According to him, the main routes that connect the country with Japan and South Korea, which are among the top five trading partners of Canberra, run through the South China Sea. He said that China is building artificial islands in this sea in violation of UN conventions.
At the same time, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell expressed the view that the AUKUS partnership should not prevent Canberra and Beijing from consulting on the resumption of trade in certain goods. Later, Farrell is scheduled to travel to China for talks.
The Taiwan question arose in 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed, and part of the Chinese Kuomintang party settled on the island of Taiwan, calling the island the Republic of China in Taiwan. Beijing insists on the “one China principle”, according to which it is impossible to simultaneously recognize both the PRC and the Republic of China on Taiwan. At the same time, almost all major states have unofficial cultural and economic offices in Taipei.
Earlier, the US, UK and Australia unveiled a decades-long project to supply Canberra nuclear submarines. The United States will sell three to five Virginia-class submarines to Australia starting in 2032. The next phase of the plan calls for the construction by Australia and the UK of the SSN Aukus, which will be a modified version of the next generation SSN(R) submarine. As expected, the first boats will enter service not earlier than in two decades.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the supply of nuclear submarines to Canberra is contrary to the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Source : interfax.ru