Beijing has warned the three AUKUS nations of undermining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific if efforts to arm Australia with nuclear-powered submarines continue.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a press briefing on July 29 that Beijing opposed cooperation between the three governments and that it allegedly “sparked serious concern in the international community.”
The spokesperson said the sharing of nuclear information should not be allowed unless all stakeholders in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed and if the body had oversight of the deal.
A nuclear propulsion Ohio class submarine, the USS Florida sails on Jan. 22, 2003, off the coast of the Bahamas. Australia, as part of the AUKUS deal, will get the tech for nuclear-powered subs. (David Nagle/U.S. Navy/Getty Images)
Zhao accused the AUKUS nations of taking no notice of “serious nuclear proliferation risks” warning that it could undermine “peace and security in the region.”…