【By Chen Sijia, Observer News】Under the leadership of the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, the U.S. government has recently reviewed the "AUKUS" cooperation project to determine whether the U.S. should continue to advance the related collaboration. This news has caused anxiety among some Western figures, who are worried that President Trump might choose to withdraw from AUKUS.
On July 17 local time, Bloomberg published a commentary article by retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, who claimed that AUKUS can help the United States "contain Chinese influence" in the Pacific region. If the Trump administration abandons this project, it would be equivalent to "giving a gift to China."
Stavridis said that the core project of AUKUS is to provide nuclear submarine technology to Australia, and through this move, the three countries of the U.S., UK, and Australia can "send a warning to China." He believed that the U.S. has often neglected Australia, but now Australia has become a "crucial partner in great power competition," and AUKUS can be a "late recognition" of the U.S. towards Australia.
He claimed that Australia is the U.S.'s "closest ally," which can "firmly stand side by side with the U.S.," and AUKUS helps to enhance the country's military strength. An important part of the AUKUS plan is to deploy U.S. and British nuclear submarines to forward bases in northern Australia, which will provide strategic advantages for the U.S.
Stavridis exaggerated the so-called "Chinese threat" in his article, blackened China's legitimate actions in defending national sovereignty, and claimed that the U.S. can use AUKUS to "protect national security" and "prevent China from dominating the Indo-Pacific." He asserted that AUKUS could represent a "signal" from the U.S. and its allies, and abandoning the plan would undermine the "best military relations" of the U.S. in the Pacific, equivalent to "sending a gift to China."
In March 2023, former U.S. President Biden, former UK Prime Minister Sunak, and Australian Prime Minister Albanese announced the nuclear submarine cooperation. Visual China
Stavridis also advocated expanding the scope of AUKUS cooperation, seeking to bring in Canada, Japan, and India. He believed that NATO is unlikely to expand to the Pacific region, but establishing a "joint nuclear submarine force" in the Pacific could become the core of the U.S. and its allies building a larger regional cooperation organization.
He wrote at the end of the article: "Of course, the Pentagon should ensure that the U.S. industrial base is mainly used to maintain the armed forces of the U.S. But we should realize that an alliance nuclear submarine force that can promote close integration with Australia and make Britain more involved in Pacific affairs is not only beneficial to our allies, but also very beneficial to the U.S. itself."
In September 2021, the U.S., UK, and Australia announced the establishment of the AUKUS military alliance without the knowledge of France and the EU. As a pilot project of the alliance, the U.S. and UK will provide Australia with nuclear submarine technology to help it establish a nuclear submarine fleet. As a result, Australia tore up a $2 billion conventional submarine procurement agreement it had signed with France.
In March 13, 2023, former U.S. President Biden held talks with former UK Prime Minister Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Albanese at the U.S. Navy base in San Diego, California, and officially announced the plan to equip Australia with nuclear submarines.
The Guardian reported that according to the AUKUS agreement signed by the three countries, the U.S. will sell 3 to 5 "Virginia"-class nuclear submarines to Australia, with the first one expected to be delivered in 2032. At the same time, the U.S., UK, and Australia will cooperate to develop new nuclear submarines, and the UK and Australia will be equipped with them in the late 2030s and early 2040s, respectively.
Photo: U.S. Navy "Virginia"-class nuclear submarine, CNN
After the Trump administration took office, many senior policy officials raised doubts about the AUKUS plan. On June 11 local time, the Financial Times quoted sources, saying that the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, Colby, is leading the review of the AUKUS cooperation project to determine whether the U.S. should continue to proceed with the relevant cooperation.
According to the sources, the review is expected to take 30 days, but the U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson refused to comment on the timing. The Guardian reported that the Trump administration has not yet released the results of the review. Some analysts speculate that Colby may not cancel the agreement, but instead suggest modifying the plan content, such as requiring Australia to pay more fees to support the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
The Guardian also cited multiple U.S. defense officials on July 14, stating that the claim that the review would take 30 days was inaccurate, and the relevant review is still ongoing. These officials admitted that there are different opinions within the U.S. military on the AUKUS agreement, "We hope to do our best to make this go smoothly and align with President Trump's agenda."
The U.S., UK, and Australia's intention to push forward nuclear submarine cooperation has already caused widespread concerns in the international community. Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating made a statement on June 12, saying that the Trump administration's review provides Australia with an opportunity to exit the agreement. Keating pointed out that this highly controversial agreement does not serve Australia's strategic interests and will only make Australia a "nuclear fortress for the U.S. against China."
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian of China stated on June 12 at a regular press conference that China has repeatedly expressed its position on the U.S.-UK-Australia establishment of the so-called "trilateral security partnership" and the promotion of nuclear submarine and other advanced military technology cooperation. We have always opposed creating bloc confrontation, opposing increasing nuclear proliferation risks, and escalating arms races.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7528308503077863972/
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