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China reacts to Australia’s nuclear plans | China reacts to Australia’s nuclear plans |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Beijing claims the AUKUS deal violates the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty | |
Canberra’s plan to purchase up to five nuclear-powered submarines from the US has triggered a harsh rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington and London of neglecting their obligations as nuclear powers and members of the NPT. | Canberra’s plan to purchase up to five nuclear-powered submarines from the US has triggered a harsh rebuke from Beijing, which accused Washington and London of neglecting their obligations as nuclear powers and members of the NPT. |
“The nuclear submarine cooperation plan… is a blatant act that constitutes serious nuclear proliferation risks, undermines international non-proliferation system, fuels arms races, and hurts peace and stability in the region,” China’s mission to the United Nations said in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning. | “The nuclear submarine cooperation plan… is a blatant act that constitutes serious nuclear proliferation risks, undermines international non-proliferation system, fuels arms races, and hurts peace and stability in the region,” China’s mission to the United Nations said in a series of tweets on Tuesday morning. |
Speaking at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego on Monday, US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced plans for a new class of submarines, SSN-AUKUS, that will be built in the UK and Australia with US technology and support in the late 2030s or early 2040s. | |
However, Australia will first purchase at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US. | |
Since the AUKUS alliance was created in 2021, Beijing has repeatedly criticized the trio for stretching the limits of nuclear proliferation. The US-built subs are fueled with weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, but the allies insist that a loophole exempts naval reactors from NPT safeguards. | Since the AUKUS alliance was created in 2021, Beijing has repeatedly criticized the trio for stretching the limits of nuclear proliferation. The US-built subs are fueled with weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, but the allies insist that a loophole exempts naval reactors from NPT safeguards. |
“The irony of AUKUS is that two nuclear weapons states who claim to uphold the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard are transferring tons of weapons-grade enriched uranium to a non-nuclear-weapon state, clearly violating the object and purpose of the NPT,” China’s diplomatic mission added on Tuesday, calling the planned transfer of nuclear technology and materials a “textbook case of double standards” and urging the trio to “honor their obligations as members of the NPT.” |