Australia, the U.S. and Britain this week unveiled the multi-decade AUKUS projectin which Australia willbuy theU.S.military submarines before joint British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class, SSN-AUKUS.
Australia’s center-left Labor government believes the A$368 billion ($244.06 billion) deal is necessary given Chinese military buildup in the region, which it has labeled the largest since World War Two.
Asked on ABC television if, in return for access to the U.S. military submarines, Australia had given the U.S.anycommitment to helpduringa conflict over Taiwan, Marles said: “Of course not, and nor was one sought.”
China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, which Taiwandisputes.
Queried on if there was a “quid pro quo” owed to the U.S. flowing from the submarines deal,Marlessaid: “Absolutelynot.”
Under the AUKUS deal, which Asian allieshad welcomedbutwhich Beijing has criticized as an act ofnuclear proliferation, the U.S.intends to sell Australia three of the U.S. Virginia class subs, built by General Dynamics, in the early 2030s, with an option for Australia to buy two more.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said theprogram would startwith a A$6 billion investment over the next four years to expand a submarine base and the country’s submarine shipyards, as well as train skilled workers.
Australia is also set to provide A$3 billion to expand U.S. and Britishshipbuildingcapacity, with thebulkof the money tospeedup production of U.S. Virginia-class submarines.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith; Editing by Josie Kao)
