Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Australia officially established a nuclear submarine program for its country, on Monday (22/11), as a result of the agreement AUKUS involving English and United States of America.
Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton signed an agreement allowing the exchange of naval nuclear propulsion information between the three countries. The signing was also carried out by US Chargé d’Affaires Michael Goldman and UK High Commissioner (Ambassador) Victoria Treadell.
Quotes AFP, this agreement is the first technology agreement signed publicly since the AUKUS agreement was announced last September.
“The agreement will enable cooperation that will further enhance our shared defense posture,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday, days before Dutton’s signing ceremony.
Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will get eight advanced nuclear-powered submarines capable of stealth long-range missions. This agreement also provides an opportunity for the three countries to share cyber knowledge, artificial intelligence, quantum, and underwater information.
The AUKUS agreement itself is drawing anger from China. The Bamboo Curtain country considers this agreement a very irresponsible threat in the Asia-Pacific region.
France was also upset, considering that Australia had indirectly canceled the submarine contract between the two countries. This contract is said to have a value of AUS $ 90 billion (Rp 929 trillion).
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks unapologetic about canceling his deal with France. He insisted the AUKUS was part of Australia’s national interest and that it would disrupt relations with its European allies.
Meanwhile, several ASEAN countries also voiced their reluctance regarding the AUKUS agreement.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta held similar concerns about the impact and consequences of the AUKUS partnership in the region.
“We agreed on the latest issue in the region regarding countries near our region buying nuclear-powered submarines,” Saifuddin said during a virtual press conference after meeting Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in Jakarta.
“Although that country (Australia) does not have nuclear weapons capacity, we (RI-Malaysia) are worried and concerned,” he continued.
Not only that, the Vice President of the Vietnam Diplomat Academy, Nguyen Hung Son, said that the US, UK and Australia should also discuss the AUKUS partnership with ASEAN. This is because the agreement between the three major countries is related to the Southeast Asian region.
“First of all I think the immediate impact is the impression that the US and even the UK have long-term commitments in this (Indo-Pacific) region. They are strengthening their allies and regardless of their talk of ASEAN centrality. There is a lot of emphasis on their traditional allies and partners. , said Nguyen.
“ASEAN needs to ask itself why this (agreement) happened in the ASEAN region. And without ASEAN’s knowledge,” he added.
(pwn / bac)
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