The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned Tuesday that the US, Britain, and Australia are going down a “dangerous path” with the AUKUS military pact after the three nations unveiled their nuclear-powered submarine plans.
“The latest joint statement issued by the US, the UK and Australia shows that the three countries, for their own geopolitical interests, have totally disregarded the concerns of the international community and gone further down the wrong and dangerous path,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
Wang suggested the deal could violate the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), although there is a major loophole in the treaty that applies to submarines. Under AUKUS, Australia will acquire US-made nuclear-powered submarines with the goal of Canberra eventually being able to produce its own.
US nuclear-powered submarines use highly-enriched weapons-grade uranium, but under the NPT’s loophole, naval reactors are not subject to inspections under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The AUKUS deal will be the first time that the loophole will be used to transfer fissile material and nuclear technology to a non-nuclear weapons state.
While not technically a violation of the NPT, AUKUS does test some articles of the treaty that say non-nuclear weapons states should use “nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.” Wang warned that the deal was a proliferation risk.
“Nuclear submarine cooperation between the US, the UK and Australia involves the transfer of large amounts of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from nuclear weapon states to a non-nuclear weapon state, which poses a serious nuclear proliferation risk and violates the purpose and object of the NPT,” he said.
Australian officials expect to spend up to $245 billion on the Submarine initiative by 2055. The US Navy envisions Australia becoming a full-service submarine hub for all underwater craft activity in the Asia Pacific, cementing Canberra’s role as a US ally in a potential future conflict with China, although plans under AUKUS won’t be completed for decades.
To have continued trading with China had pure logic going for it instead of following Washington’s illogical lead and sink deeper into debt which is required to fund these silly submarines.
Unlike the spineless Canberra poodle club – the Mexican president has a spine to stand up to the US and simply hints to mind their own business. [brilliant]
Brilliant!
“The coup in Peru is what we do” (I almost choked on my morning coffee after hearing that, hehe).
It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when one country after another becomes a US vassal state.
The US only considers a nation to be a Democracy if and when it serves their interests which requires becoming their obedient servant and a complete loss of that nations sovereignty.
I cannot help but conclude that there’s election meddling on a scale that most simply don’t dare imagine.
Netanyahu is back when he should have been answering questions in The Hague or at least denied to return to politics – but so is the ghost of Ferdinant Marcos who’s son has become the President of the Philippines.
It goes on and on.
https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/its-good-to-be-mean-to-war-propagandists
Arrived in my inbox this morning. Struggling with typing again but maybe you can do something with it? Many in the US have no concept of the global scope of disaster brought on by Empire…Caitlin is a treasure!
I also receive her article notifications.
We take the web for granted and that it will be there in the morning when we have our coffee, but what if one day the web wasn’t there anymore? [What would we do]
Caitlin is quite talented and ought to serve as an inspiration.
Re Paul Keating I quite simply don’t trust anyone who has been in high office – To get there requires rolling over and pledging allegiance to Washington’s dogs of war or they’ll find someone who will faster then anyone can utter the words inner party coup if you get my drift.
I was wondering about Keating but had no doubt you would weigh in…Lol, thank you!
I, too, don’t see many solutions resting or residing in the tarnished soul of elected officials or for that matter in the body politic.
Caitlin is one of the few brave and talented journalists challenging the established order.
The thrust of “global” rule is clear.
Julian Assange is a vivid example of just how much the truth threatens the power-elite and I doubt his continued torture is unintentional.
Contemplating the disappearance of the world wide web is almost unthinkable to me today….but, it is not free or available to all and as you know the algorithms are ghastly. It can easily be made unavailable to any and all of us…which is a thought I have had especially with my lousy WiFi…. have obviously watched too many dystopian movies and suffer as yet another idiot savant of excessive creative energy.
“Scotty, beam me up”_Captain Kirk (or was that Spock?)
PS: Good Morning. I fell back to sleep while typing this! Not the best start…oh well….
“China Says AUKUS Countries are Going Down a ‘Dangerous Path’” Sounds obvious to me. …What’s that? Democracy? Press freedom? Genocide? Peace? Blah blah blah. (Sarcasm alert)
Whatta Friggin Deal…. Only $245 BILLION to get a target BULLS EYE painted front & back on them for their thermonuclear neighbor to hit the SECOND hostilities break out. Talk about going out in a blaze of GLORY, As A PUFF of smoke….. Those clever Auzies…..
We’ve been a thermonuclear target since the 1960’s. When our idiot government allowed the US to set up its spy base Pine Gap in central Australia. It’s the eyes and ears of US surveillance. The Soviets would have targeted it for sure. So why would you just aim one ICBM at America’s bitch in the Pacific. Our government is not me. Yanks are no longer a on the right side of history.
our yank government is not me either
Ramstein is the same in Europe, a big fat Bulls Eye.
That agreement between AUKUS broke the billion $$$$ French /Australian agreement not too long ago. The French have not forgotten, add the pipeline sabotage, and sanctions between the members and you know the NATO alliance is not based on common interests with the USA. NATO is only an alliance as long as the USA can force it to hold together.
Loophole or not, it is meaningless, no US administration cares about such niceties anyway. For them the whole globe is their Wild West.
Didn’t know about that loophole.
Australian citizens were the last to be consumed by fallout in the novel, “On the Beach”, and the excellent movie starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. The click, click of the Geiger counter, increasing tempo as the bulk of the fallout approaches, the malaise of the people on the island knowing their time will soon be up, the sub descending into the seas. I read that novel in one sitting of a study hall when I was in high school. One hour. Pages of dialog leaping out.