Australia, Britain defend Aukus nuclear submarine deal at FPDA meeting, say fears ‘overhyped’
- Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said Aukus is ‘not a defence alliance or a security pact’ and will complement its partnerships in the region
- He spoke after a meeting of the Five Powers Defence Arrangement involving Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Britain
The pact will provide Australia with nuclear reactors to power its submarines but the subs will not be nuclear-armed.
“It doesn’t in any way reflect reduction in our friendships with colleagues and allies. It doesn’t in any way represent a challenge in your part of the world,” Heappey said in an online news conference after meeting with his counterparts in the Five Powers defence Arrangements.
Explainer | What is the Aukus alliance, and what does it have to do with China?
The FPDA, which involves Commonwealth members Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Britain, is a non-binding treaty formed half a century ago. The countries are to consult each other in the event of armed threats or attacks on former British colonies Malaysia and Singapore.
Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton agreed that Aukus is “not a defence alliance or a security pact” and does not represent a shift in his country’s defence strategy. He said the pact is aimed at improving Australia’s defence capability and will complement its partnerships in the region, including FPDA.
Dutton said Australia has no intention of interfering in the operations of other nations, and will continue to maintain close ties to ensure the region remains secure and prosperous.
“Aukus will complement our collective efforts to meet the challenges and the changing circumstances in the Indo-Pacific so that it remains stable, secure, prosperous and free from coercion,” he said.
Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his Singapore counterpart Ng Eng Hen did not comment on the Aukus pact during the news conference.
Malaysian officials earlier said they were worried that Aukus could provoke other powers to act more aggressively in the region, especially in the South China Sea. Malaysia has said it does not want to be dragged into the US-China rivalry.
Malaysia, along with China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan all claim part of the South China Sea.
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Singapore’s Ng noted earlier this month that it could take Australia more than a decade to deploy its first nuclear-powered submarine. He told Parliament that Singapore encourages any security groupings to contribute constructively to regional security through open dialogue and activities that are “non-confrontational, do not escalate tensions and promote a rules-based order”.
While Malaysia and Singapore do not face any particular threats, Hishammuddin said the FPDA remains relevant and will continue to focus on issues such as counterterrorism, transnational crime and regional maritime tensions.
The five nations earlier this week wrapped up an annual defence exercise involving ships, aircraft and 2,600 personnel to mark their 50th anniversary.
