China joins criticism of Scott Morrison’s handling of submarines deal

A Beijing spokesman said Scott Morrison must “give honest answers to its partner’s questioning” over Australia’s cancellation of diesel boats to join AUKUS.

The Chinese government has joined Anthony Albanese and Malcolm Turnbull in criticising the Morrison government’s handling of the cancellation of a deal to buy submarines from France to acquire nuclear subs in a deal with the US and UK.

Speaking Tuesday night from Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that it was time for Scott Morrison to “face up” to concerns about the deal.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison presents at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Picture: Alastair Grant / AFP

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. Picture: Greg Baker/AFP

“China has clearly stated its principled position on Australia’s nuclear submarine co-operation with relevant countries,” Mr Wang said at a regular press conference.

“Australia should not only give honest answers to its partner’s questioning, but also honestly face up to the international community’s concerns, earnestly fulfil its non-proliferation obligations, and stop such irresponsible behaviour as creating bloc confrontation and proliferation risks.”

China has been a strident opponent of the AUKUS security arrangement since it was announced, seeing it as destabilising and a potential threat to Beijing’s ambitions in the region.

At the time, Communist Party tabloid Global Times said that the deal was of “strategically dangerous significance” to China.

Since then, the Chinese government has kept up a regular drumbeat of attacks on the deal, claiming that it was a threat to peace and stability.

Just a week ago Mr Wang said that the security partnership was a “reminder” the three countries are pursuing “the rules of the jungle, where the weak are meant to be killed by the strong.”

“The above-mentioned co-operation between the three countries is bound to undermine the building of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia,” he added.

And last month Mr Wang described the AUKUS deal as highly irresponsible, saying, “The nuclear submarine co-operation between the US, the UK and Australia has seriously undermined regional peace and stability, intensified the arms race and undermined international non-proliferation efforts.

“The export of highly sensitive nuclear submarine technology to Australia by the US and the UK proves once again that they are using nuclear exports as a tool for geopolitical game and adopting double standards. This is extremely irresponsible.”