Article: “Australia and UK deepen security ties amid China worries“
Australia and the UK have claimed that there have been advancements in AUKUSs (Australia, the UK, and the US) goal to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. This comes at a time of increasing worries regarding China. The UK pledged around $34 million in efforts to deepen its security connections within Australia, and to promote stability in the region.
The funds have been directed towards strengthening resilience in cyberspace, and state and maritime security threats. The pledge also included concerns about the human rights violations in China, Myanmar, and pushed for peace and stability across Taiwan and throughout the South China Sea. These security measures have been taken by Australia and the UK after China has made significant efforts to secure control in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait regions.
In the South China Sea, China has worked on building “artificial islands,” creating military bases throughout to claim the territory. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, China has organized military sorties and has placed increasing pressure on companies and countries that promote democracies.
In Myanmar, generals staged a coup and took power in early 2021, and have been reported using violence against opposing citizens and committing war crimes against civilians. The UK and Australia strongly condemned the situation and recommended Myanmar to implement a “Five-Point Consensus” with ASEAN.
For the past years, China has been involved in territorial disputes over the South China Sea. The state claims sovereignty over the sea, yet this hasn’t been agreed upon by surrounding nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam. The primary reason for China’s interest in the area is trade. China’s expansion into the region would allow it to control trade throughout the sea, as well as give the state a better observation of energy imports. Additionally, the expansion allows China to place more military bases, strengthen its military strategy by improving geographic significance, as well as exert power and influence over neighboring countries. This, in turn, poses threats to the UK, Australia, and the US, as well as their allies in the region.
Because of this, we can understand the UK’s reasoning for the pledge to Australia. If Australia is able to quire nuclear-powered submarines, which is claimed to be targeted solely at promoting “peace and stability.” It is important to note that these submarines are nuclear-powered, and do not intend to carry any actual nuclear weapons. The AUKUS alliance, however, has been strongly condemned by the Chinese government, as it feels threatened by the US, and claims that it continues to hold a hostile “Cold War Mentality.” Therefore, the new pledge from the UK is likely to meet strong opposition from China.
In connection to class discussions, AKUS is an alliance, much like NATO, or the EU, but on a much smaller scale. The alliance was formed between the UK, US, and Australia in 2021, and claims to have been created on the basis of promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. ASEAN, another alliance mentioned in the article, is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It was created to improve economic, social, and cultural development, along with peace and stability in member nations.