New alliance with China: US and UK arm Australia on submarines - Walla! News

2021-09-16T16:30:41.457Z

Biden and colleagues from Britain and Australia announced a new security partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, although they did not explicitly mention Beijing. In China they attacked: "The mentality of the Cold War". The submarines, with nuclear propulsion, will replace those that France was supposed to supply, which reacted angrily: "Stabbing a knife in the back"

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New alliance with China: US and UK arm Australia on submarines

Biden and colleagues from Britain and Australia announced a new security partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, although they did not explicitly mention Beijing.

In China they attacked: "The mentality of the Cold War".

The submarines, with nuclear propulsion, will replace those that France was supposed to supply, which reacted angrily: "Stabbing a knife in the back"

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"Recognize the need to ensure long-term peace and stability in the Indo - Pacific region."

Biden, last night (Photo: AP)

Morrison said the submarines would be built in the city of Adelaide in South Australia, in close cooperation with the United States and Britain. "We will continue to meet all of our nuclear non-proliferation commitments," he said. Johnson argued that the decision to supply Australia with the technology was important, and would even make the world a safer place.

Johnson added that the new alliance would allow the three English-speaking democracies to strengthen their ties and sharpen their focus on an increasingly complicated part of the world. "We will have a new opportunity to strengthen Britain's place in science and technology, to strengthen our national expertise, and perhaps the most significant thing - Britain, Australia and the United States will be made even more connected together," Johnson said.

The three countries have agreed to share information in areas that include artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and underwater protection capabilities. Morrison later announced that Australia would also purchase model cruise missiles from the United States.Tomahawk. "

Australia will also be equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

American submarine at base in Pearl Harbor (Photo: AP)

The new security alliance may be seen as a provocative move on the part of China, which has already resented many times against Biden due to US foreign policy in the Pacific during his presidency.

However, the three leaders did not mention China in their speeches, and a senior Biden administration official claimed before the announcement that the purpose of the alliance is not specific deterrence against Beijing.

Despite this, the Chinese embassy in Washington said in a response that states "should not build closed blocs that target or harm the interests of third parties. In particular, they must renounce their Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices."

In France angry: "Stabbing a knife in the back"

Another big loser from the alliance is France, which has signed a multi-billion dollar agreement with Australia for the sale of conventional submarines - which will now be canceled.

Biden, in an attempt to soften anger in France, said she was a "key partner and ally" in the Indo-Pacific region, but the French Foreign Ministry said the decision to choose American submarines was "contrary to the agreement and spirit of cooperation between France and Australia".

Foreign Secretary Jean-Yves Le Drian went even further when he accused Biden of stabbing France in the back. He compared his conduct to that of his predecessor as Donald Trump. "This cruel, one-sided and unexpected decision reminds me very much of what Trump did to us," the Secretary of State said in a radio interview. "It's a betrayal of trust and I'm very angry."

As part of the deal, which was backed by French President Emmanuel Macron, the French corporation Naval Group was to build 12 submarines for Australia for A $ 50 million. However, the order was delayed for years, its price swelled and it provoked political controversy in Australia.

Just two weeks ago, Australia's defense and foreign ministers stressed to their French counterparts that the agreement was valid and in place.

During the virtual meeting there was an embarrassment, when Biden seems to have forgotten the name of the Prime Minister of Australia.

"Thank you Boris, and I want to thank this guy down there as well, thank you very much, friend. I appreciate it, Prime Minister," said Biden, who later returned to the scriptures and recognized Morrison by name.

The Prime Minister of Australia responded with a smile and a thumbs up.

The Australian media was quick to jump on the bargain.

"'Thank you friend': Biden seems to have forgotten Morrison's name," read a headline in the Cairns Post.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that "it is not certain that this is the glorious start Morrison had hoped for, of course, when US President Joe Biden seems to have forgotten his name at a crucial moment."

It was further reported that the mouth discharge provided a glimpse into "Australia's status as the little sister of the powers".

The new security alliance may be perceived as a provocative move for China.

Biden and Morrison, last night (Photo: AP)

On the other hand, James Morrow of the Sydney newspaper said the embarrassing moment is dwarfed in light of the importance of the agreement signed during a period of China's growing military influence in the region.

"Even the fact that Joe Biden forgot the name of the 'guy down there' can not detract from the importance of what has happened in the last 12 hours," he wrote.

Later this month, Morrison himself will attend the White House, to a summit of "square" leaders - which includes Australia, India, Japan and the United States.