Despite many challenges, the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have continued their cooperation on nuclear submarines, which creates nuclear proliferation risks and undermines the international system of non-proliferation, lamented the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
In response to a question regarding the Australia/UK/US (AUKUS) trilateral cooperation on nuclear submarines, the Chinese diplomatic mission said Friday that such cooperation would exacerbate the resurgence of the Cold War mentality. , would trigger a new round of arms race and provoke more security and military confrontation in the region, seriously jeopardizing the peace, stability and prosperity of the region.
Asia-Pacific is now the most dynamic and fastest growing region in the world, which has not been easy, the embassy said in a press release. “AUKUS cooperation is designed to serve the geopolitical agenda of the United States, which is to introduce Cold War group politics and confrontation to the Asia-Pacific region through military deterrence. It aims to create a replica of NATO in the Asia-Pacific, which goes against peace and stability in the region.”
The AUKUS cooperation marks the first time that nuclear-weapon states have transferred naval nuclear propulsion reactors and weapons-grade highly enriched uranium to a non-nuclear-weapon state, the statement said.
Since the current safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is unable to provide effective safeguards, such cooperation poses serious risks of nuclear proliferation, seriously compromises the authority of the IAEA and strikes a blow at the agency’s safeguards system, the embassy continued.
“If the three countries are determined to advance cooperation, other countries are likely to follow their example, which will ultimately lead to the collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,” she said.
China urges the three countries to heed the call of the international community and regional countries, abandon the old Cold War zero-sum mentality and narrow geopolitical spirit, earnestly fulfill their international obligations and work more for peace, stability, unity and development in the region, she recommended. “This serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the countries in the region as well as the three countries themselves.”
Source: French People