AUSTRALIA’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the U.S. Congress for authorizing the sale of nuclear submarines to another country for the first time as part of a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States known as AUKUS.
Albanese called the decision an extraordinary achievement and marked a new milestone for Australia as it inches closer to acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
Meanwhile, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles also hailed the significant development as it is the first time in US history that America and its Congress have authorized the sale of nuclear-powered submarines outside of its shores.
Marles previously said that the AUKUS submarine deal does not mean that Australia is supporting the United States in its war with China. The development of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact is Australia’s most expensive defense project with a $244-B price tag in a three-decade period or more.
The legislation allows the sale of at least three Virginia-class submarines to Australia, relaxes export controls, and allows Australian defense contractors to undergo training in the United States.
The Australian government is also authorized to make a payment of $US3-B to speed up the production of the military vessels at American shipyards.
The AUKUS partnership is perceived as an effort to counter China’s influence in the region.
To recall, Chinese officials warned that Australia, the US, and the UK are walking on a dangerous path and accused the partnership of breaching global rules on the spread of nuclear weapons through the development of nuclear-powered vessels. Beijing also called the the AUKUS partnership a product of Cold War mentality and bloc politics.
In November, a Chinese envoy called for intergovernmental discussions to address the proliferation risks posed by the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal during a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA board of directors.
Amid the landmark victory lie fears that a future president could cancel the submarine transfers but US and Australian leaders insisted it is unlikely.
