US-UK-Aussie pact reflects Cold War mentality: China

China has reacted sharply to the new, enhanced trilateral security partnership, Aukus, announced by the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, accusing the three powers of an "outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality".

The most significant outcome of the pact, announced in Washington yesterday morning (Singapore time) is that Australia will build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines with US and British technology - vastly expanding its reach and capabilities.

The announcement drew a swift reaction from Beijing, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian saying Aukus "seriously undermined regional peace and stability, intensified an arms race in the region, and undermined international nuclear non-proliferation efforts".

"Relevant countries should abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and narrow geopolitical concepts, respect the will of the people in the region, and do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, otherwise they will only shoot themselves in the foot," he added.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, however, despite the backdrop of deteriorating ties with Beijing, with high-level talks between both sides frozen, held out an olive branch, saying there was an "open invitation" for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mr Morrison also called Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to brief him on Aukus.

"Prime Minister Lee noted the longstanding bilateral and multilateral relations that Singapore shared with Australia, the UK and the US, and hoped that Aukus would contribute constructively to the peace and stability of the region and complement the regional architecture," Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Mr Morrison yesterday was also reported to have called the leaders of Indonesia, India and Japan.

The trilateral pact means Australia will scrap a A$90 billion (S$88.2 billion) deal with France on conventional submarines in favour of the nuclear-powered ones, a move that has caused consternation in Paris. "It's really a stab in the back. We had established a relationship of trust with Australia, this trust has been betrayed," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio.

While US officials were careful to deny that Aukus is aimed at China, analysts say there is no escaping the message.

The pact is seen as a strong signal that deterrence in Asia and the Indo-Pacific is being beefed up against the perceived threat of a rising China.

At the announcement at the White House yesterday, Mr Morrison, speaking via video link, said: "The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures."

"We must now take our partnership to a new level… where our technology, our scientists, our industry, our defence forces are all working together to deliver a safer and more secure region that ultimately benefits all."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, also via video link, said Aukus would bind the three powers more closely together, reflecting "the enduring strength of our shared values of freedom and democracy".

US President Joe Biden said: "This is about investing in our greatest source of strength - our alliances - and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow."

Earlier, while briefing journalists in Washington, senior US administration officials described Aukus as "a larger effort to sustain the fabric of engagement and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific".

"You will see much deeper interoperability among our navies and our nuclear infrastructure people," one official said. "This is a fundamental decision… that binds decisively Australia to the United States and Great Britain for generations."