China Issues Threat After US Submarine Decision

China Issues Threat After US Submarine Decision

(UnitedVoice.com) – To say the US relations with China are strained would be an understatement. American lawmakers are very concerned about the Chinese government’s threats against Taiwan, its continued theft of intellectual information, the human rights abuses against the Uyghurs, and possible involvement with Russia.

In 2021, the US formed a partnership with Britain and Australia. As part of the agreement, America has promised to provide the Australian government with three nuclear-powered submarines by the early 2030s. The deal angered China, and the country recently issued a threat.

AUKUS Statement

On March 13, the White House issued a statement about the latest developments with the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership. According to President Joe Biden’s administration, the US will allow Australia to acquire the subs as part of the security partnership. The statement claimed the agreement would “lift all three nations’ submarine industrial bases and undersea capabilities, enhancing deterrence and promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

The United Kingdom also released a statement celebrating the first major AUKUS initiative. The US ally claimed allowing Australia to obtain the submarines will ensure the country is able to “maintain a critical edge in the underwater domain for decades to come.”

Fox News reported that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended an event with President Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Naval Base Point in San Diego on March 13. He said the submarine deal was the “biggest single investment in Australia’s defense capabilities” in the country’s history.

China Responds

On March 14, China issued a statement saying the US and its allies are on a “dangerous path.” The Chinese went on to accuse the three nations of having a “typical Cold War mentality which will only motivate an arms race.” Further, they believe the submarine deal might be a violation of the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and will harm peace and stability.

Ironically, during the AUKUS meeting, Biden addressed the Chinese government. He said that he didn’t think Chinese President Xi Jinping would see the deal as an act of aggression. He assured the American people that he was going to speak with Xi in the future.

The Guardian reported Wang Wenbin, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said the AUKUS nations are disregarding the international community’s concerns about the nuclear-powered subs and continuing along a “path of error and danger.” The Chinese have also accused the US and its allies of projecting a double standard, presumably because they have tried to prevent dangerous nations from obtaining nuclear weapons.

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