'AUKUS nuclear submarine deal doesn't mean Australia will side with US against China'

Canberra: In exchange for American nuclear-powered submarines, the Australian defence minister claims his nation has not promised to back the United States in any future disputes involving Taiwan. With the statement, the Australian defence minister ended rumours that originated last week after his country signed AUKUS deal to buy nuclear-powered attack submarines from the United States to modernise its fleet amid growing concerns about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. The United States would not agree to transfer up to five of its Virginia-class submarines, according to Australian critics of the agreement, unless guarantees were given that they would be made available in the event of a war with China over Taiwan. Beijing asserts that the self-governing island democracy, which separated from China in 1949 as a result of a civil war, must reunite with the mainland, if necessary by force. Richard Marles, the defence minister, claimed that the United States had received no guarantees from his administration regarding Taiwan. Marles said on Sunday on the “Insiders” news show of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “Absolutely not, and I couldn’t be more unequivocal than that. “I want to be very clear that the first of those Virginia-class submarines will be completely under the authority of the Australian government of the day as soon as a flag appears on it in the early 2030s, and again, no one would have expected anything different. I mean, that is obviously the basis upon which this is happening,” he added. In order to maintain “strategic uncertainty,” Australia, like the United States, refuses to state how it would respond in the event that China attacked Taiwan. Since 1951, Australia and the U.S. have also cooperated on a bilateral defence agreement that requires them to confer when one of them is attacked but does not obligate them to come to the other’s aid. Paul Keating and Malcolm Turnbull, both former Australian prime ministers, are among the critics who wonder how Australia can retain its sovereignty when it is so heavily dependent on American military personnel and technology as part of the submarine deal. China was incensed by the AUKUS agreement, which was called after Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and accused Australia of choosing a “path of error and danger.” While the submarines could be used in a conflict, according to Marles, their primary purpose was to safeguard important trade routes through the South China Sea and promote regional stability. The main goal here, according to minister, is to contribute to the stability of the area. “Nuclear-powered submarines clearly have the capability to operate in the context of war,” he said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.