Washington: The UK, US and Australia have announced a special security pact to share advanced defence technologies, in an effort to counter China.
The partnership will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines for the first time.
The pact, to be known as Aukus, will also cover artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and cyber.
The three countries are worried about China’s growing power and military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Senior British officials insist the new alliance is not aimed at any one country, but it comes in the face of increasingly aggressive posturing from China and has the stated aim of protecting the “rules-based international order” that Beijing has been accused repeatedly of flouting.
The first programme of the AUKUS alliance will be the construction of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian navy, with American and British companies taking part in the manufacturing process.
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