Aukus fallout: is there a ‘small window of opportunity’ for China?

Diplomatic feud between US and France over submarine deal may give rise to hopes in Beijing that it can leverage the situation

But analysts say the differences between Washington and its allies over efforts to contain China should not be overstated

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A Royal Australian Navy submarine is seen during a drill with the Indian Navy in Darwin on September 5. Australia is buying a fleet of nuclear submarines as part of a new defence pact. Photo: TNS

Published: 10:00pm, 26 Sep 2021Updated: 10:31pm, 26 Sep 2021

A new trilateral defence alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia has jolted two unlikely partners: America’s adversary China, and France, one of its oldest allies.

Washington and London will help Canberra build nuclear-powered submarines in the next 20 years as part of the three-way deal, which according to the White House “binds decisively Australia to the United States and Great Britain for generations”.

For Beijing, the so-called Aukus pact marks the emergence of another US-led alliance in the Indo-Pacific to contain China – on top of existing ones like the Quad security grouping between the US, Japan, Australia and India.

By sharing for the first time sensitive nuclear submarine technology with Canberra, Washington has made major gains in bringing its Indo-Pacific ally into the fold to collectively confront Beijing, a step to further tilt the balance of military power away from China, according to analysts.

US defence chief Lloyd Austin said the new partnership was “not aimed at anyone”. Photo: AFP

Although US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin sought to reassure Beijing last week that the trilateral deal was “not aimed at anyone”, China’s foreign ministry slammed it as “extremely irresponsible” and said it would sabotage regional stability and fuel the arms race.

It was also a big deal for Paris, but for different reasons.