Chinese Foreign Ministry: AUKUS alliance harms efforts to maintain peace and security in the region

China has renewed its criticism of the AUKUS military alliance between the United States, Britain and Australia, stressing that it harms regional security and stability.

“The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia formed the AUKUS alliance to strengthen cooperation in nuclear-powered submarines and other advanced military technologies,” Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian as telling reporters yesterday.

“These alliances will exacerbate the arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, provoke bloc politics and military confrontation, and harm regional peace and stability,” Jian said.

The AUKUS alliance runs counter to the goals of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, he said, as it involves the transfer of nuclear-powered submarine reactors and a large amount of highly enriched uranium, which reaches weapons grade, from nuclear-weapon states to non-nuclear-weapon states, posing serious risks of nuclear proliferation.

Jian added that China and relevant countries in the region expressed their serious concerns and strong opposition to this issue during the recent second session of the Preparatory Committee for the 11th Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Jian stressed that the AUKUS countries should not proceed with this cooperation until the international community reaches consensus on safeguards and other matters.