China is currently undertaking the largest military expansion in its modern history. According to a recent US Intelligence Community assessment, Beijing’s objective is to become the “preeminent power in East Asia” – gradually displacing the United States and reducing its influence across the Indo-Pacific. Given the scale and velocity of China’s military build-up, and the increasing demands on US forces globally, it is becoming increasingly clear that Washington cannot deter Beijing alone. Deepening defence cooperation with allies and partners will be essential to maintaining a favourable balance of power. In this context, the Australia–United Kingdom–United States (AUKUS) partnership –focused on the development of nuclear-powered submarines and cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, cyber tools, and autonomous systems – has the potential to become the cornerstone of Western efforts to counter China’s growing military footprint. But the promise of AUKUS will only be realised if the political will among the three governments remains firm and consistent.
AUKUS will be worth the work. China’s alarm shows why Trump should get onboard | Lowy Institute
