Kevin Rudd backs AUKUS submarines amid China’s “arms race” threat

The Chinese government has blasted Australia’s historic nuclear submarine plan as former PM Kevin Rudd – a previous AUKUS critic – joined the fray.

China has renewed its attack on Australia’s nuclear submarine plan, accusing the AUKUS partners of ramping up the regional arms race and harming the chances of avoiding conflict.

But former prime minister Kevin Rudd – who will start as Australia’s US ambassador on March 20 – has shot down suggestions the pact could make Australia more of a target.

Mr Rudd, who was critical of AUKUS prior to being appointed to the top diplomatic post, moved to endorse the defence deal as he warned of the risk of “war by accident”.

“We’ve been, I believe, acting in our national interest to secure our own territory, our own sovereignty for the future, whatever future threats we may face,” he told the ABC.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will on Tuesday unveil Australia’s plan to acquire a nuclear-powered fleet in San Diego alongside US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister.

Anthony Albanese decided in December to send Kevin Rudd to represent Australia in Washington. Picture: Gary Ramage (NCA NewsWire)

But details of the deal – which Mr Albanese has described as “the single biggest leap in our defence capability in our history” – have already leaked out ahead of his US visit.

The three-phase plan will reportedly begin with US nuclear boats visiting Australia’s shores more regularly, and potentially being based in Western Australia from 2027.

In the early 2030s, Australia is expected to purchase up to five nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US, bankrolling an expansion of the American defence industrial base that has been struggling to keep up with domestic demand.

Australia will then build a new fleet in South Australia based on a next-generation British design that is likely to be armed with an American combat system.

In response to reports about the deal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: “We urge the US, the UK and Australia to abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, honour international obligations in good faith and do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability.”

“This trilateral co-operation constitutes serious nuclear proliferation risks, undermines the international non-proliferation system, exacerbates arms race and hurts peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific,” she said.

Australia has already fought off a Chinese government effort to block its submarine plan through the international nuclear watchdog, and senior ministers have been seeking to reassure regional neighbours about the move.

Mr Rudd told the ABC that it was “certainly not my judgment” that AUKUS would make Australia more of a target, especially as China was “building the world’s largest navy” with as many as 70 submarines.

“Now, therefore, the strategic environment within East Asia and the West Pacific is changing because of that fact,” he said.

China is building the world’s largest navy under President Xi Jinping. Picture: AFP

“And so all countries are now having to look to their national defence capabilities, whether it’s Australia through AUKUS and through the prospective submarine project.”

“There’s going to be a reaction from Beijing, but the fact that China reacts of itself does not mean that the actions we’ve taken to sustain our own national security are invalid.”

It came as Mr Biden on Friday (AEDT) released his 2023 budget featuring a $US26bn ($A39bn) boost to defence spending.

While the President is expected to unveil further details alongside Mr Albanese next week, the budget papers flagged an expansion of the US’s naval shipyards and extra funding to “maintain American dominance” in nuclear technology.

US congressman Joe Courtney, the co-chair of the bipartisan AUKUS working group, said: “This is welcome news for our submarine shipbuilders in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the nationwide supply chain that support them.”

“It is especially critical, as well, as we approach Monday’s announcement on the next steps for the first pillar of the AUKUS national security agreement,” he said.

“Indeed, the summary explicitly designated the AUKUS initiative as an enterprise that the budget will support.”