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Why China should worry about new Australian nuclear sub base under Aukus
- Australian plans come months after signing Indo-Pacific security pact with US and Britain
- Worsening China ties a major catalyst for decision, says analyst in Shanghai, while another in Hong Kong sees boost to US power in the region
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Australia’s decision to build a nuclear submarine base will pose a threat to China, an analyst has warned, while another said it is a sign for Beijing to rethink its approach to foreign relations.
This comes after Australia announced it would build a new nuclear-powered submarine base off its east coast, months after signing an Indo-Pacific security deal with the US and Britain that China slammed as “extremely irresponsible”.
The base will cost more than A$10 billion (US$7.3 billion), with “three preferred locations” identified, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said as he announced the plan on Monday, highlighting the need to “deter threats against [Australia’s] national interest in the Indo-Pacific”.
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US, UK, Australia announce ‘historic’ military partnership in Pacific
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Australia decided last year to bolster its naval strength by building eight nuclear-powered submarines through Aukus, its security partnership with the United States and Britain signed in September. The submarines would be built in Adelaide, in South Australia, Morrison announced at the time.
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A nuclear submarine is a high-speed strategic weapon that can operate for long periods without the need to surface frequently, thus improving the military’s deterrence capabilities.
Only six countries currently operate such submarines – Britain, the US, Russia, France, China and India. The US is believed to be at No 1 with about 68, followed by Russia with at least 29 and China with 12.
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Canberra’s decisions on both Aukus and the new submarine base are reportedly related to the growing threat posed by China, which owns the world’s largest naval force and has ramped up activities in the sensitive South China Sea, where it has built several artificial islands and installed weapons on them.
The relationship between China and Australia has been fraught since early 2020, after Canberra was seen to echo US calls for an international investigation into the origin of the coronavirus. The move prompted a backlash from Beijing, which eventually slapped a number of trade blocks on items like wine and coal.
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