Podcast 54 - Aukus, the pivot to China

Socialist correspondent

When the United States, Britain and Australia formed the AUKUS pact tensions were ramped up further with allies. The move enraged France as it meant Australia cancelling its order for new French submarines in favour of buying US nuclear powered ones instead. It is not just this further snub which has implications, AUKUS is a new alliance among several which are being orientated towards confrontation with China. This is a significant escalation of the threat to peace in the Asia/Pacific region and it is particularly concerning that the US is transferring nuclear technology to Australia as part of the submarine deal. The United States’ strategic priority is now pushing back China. To that end it is building up its military alliances and power in the Asia/Pacific. It is also reorienting the alliances it leads, like NATO, towards China and corralling its allies into following its hostile approach. It has had success at this but relations are increasingly strained with countries which take a different view of how to deal with China (and it should be said Russia), like Germany. This has been exacerbated by the US’ contemptuous treatment of them over Afghanistan and AUKUS.