Australian Deputy Ambassador to the US comments on AUKUS's ability to expand partnerships

AUKUS was established in 2021 to counter China's growing power. There has been some hesitation about Japan joining.

Tổng thống Mỹ Joe Biden, Thủ tướng Australia Anthony Albanese và Thủ tướng Anh Rishi Sunak phát biểu về quan hệ đối tác AUKUS, sau cuộc gặp ba bên, tại Căn cứ hải quân Point Loma ở San Diego, California, Mỹ, ngày 13/3/2023. (Nguồn: Reuters)

US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Chancellor Rishi Sunak speak about the AUKUS partnership, following a trilateral meeting, at Point Loma Naval Base in San Diego, California, US, March 13, 2023. (Source: Reuters)

Speaking at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington on June 28, Paul Myler, Australia's Deputy Ambassador to the US, said that adding partners to the AUKUS defense project would be "complicated" and he did not believe the US Congress would be willing to expand the treaty (including Australia, the US and the UK).

AUKUS was established in 2021 to counter China's growing power.

The first “pillar” of AUKUS involves cooperation between three partners Australia, the US and the UK to provide Canberra with nuclear-powered submarines, but also leaves open the possibility that other countries will join the second pillar to develop other high-tech weapons.

Mr. Paul Myler said that it was an "almost extraordinary" achievement because after 40 years of efforts to reform US export control restrictions, the partners were close to creating an environment for easier cooperation and mutual development.

“Adding partners to that process is complicated,” the diplomat said, noting that the three AUKUS partners have committed to discussing possible cooperation with Japan and that the Northeast Asian country has demonstrated political will to deploy defense capabilities in a timely manner.

“So… there is a fundamental connection there… I don’t think the US Congress would see AUKUS as being open to expansion, but AUKUS partners can certainly reach out and engage with AUKUS,” the Australian Deputy Ambassador stressed.

AUKUS still has to overcome many hurdles due to Washington’s strict restrictions on technology sharing, and Canberra and London are concerned it could get bogged down if new members are added too quickly.

There has been some hesitation about Japan joining, with officials and experts highlighting the country's cyber and information security "vulnerabilities."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/pho-dai-su-australia-tai-my-nhan-dinh-ve-kha-nang-aukus-mo-rong-doi-tac-276809.html