THE US government presented a more detailed timeline on when it plans to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia as part of a submarine-sharing agreement announced earlier this year.
The agreement known as AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership signed between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
American officials are planning to sell Australia-used Virginia-class attack submarines in 2032 and 2035, plus a new vessel in 2038 with an increased missile capacity, according to a US Congressional report.
Leaders predicted that the ambitious project would cost around $268 billion to $368 billion between now and the mid-2050s.
In March, China’s Foreign Ministry accused the three nations of traveling toward a wrong and dangerous path motivated by their own geopolitical self-interest.
Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the agreement arises from the “typical Cold War mentality” which will only trigger an arms race while undermining the nuclear non-
proliferation treaty.
