KEY POINTS
- Australia's defence minister says there is no commitment to go to war alongside the US in return for nuclear submarines.
- Former PMs have questioned how Australia would maintain sovereignty under the deal.
- Those commentators are "plain wrong", Defence Minister Richard Marles says.
Australia has not committed to backing the United States in a war with China over Taiwan in return for nuclear submarines, Defence Minister Richard Marles has insisted.
Under the landmark AUKUS military arrangement with the US and United Kingdom, Australia will command a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines in coming decades.
Five of the eight new nuclear-powered submarines are expected to be delivered by the mid-2050s, with the remainder in the 2060s. But as a stop-gap, Australia has struck a deal with the US to acquire three US Virginia-class nuclear submarines which are expected to arrive in the 2030s.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the first stage of the AUKUS pact, tipped to cost , alongside US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego this week.
(l-r) Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announce the AUKUS submarine deal in San Diego. Source: Getty / Anadolu Agency
Appearing on ABC's Insiders program on Sunday, Mr Marles was asked by host David Speers if Australia had promised the US it would provide support in the event China invaded Taiwan.
"The answer to that is of course not. Of course not. And nor was one sought. I’ve listened to that conjecture from a number of commentators. It is plain wrong," Mr Marles said.
Former prime ministers and Malcolm Turnbull have criticised the nuclear submarines deal and questioned how Australia would maintain sovereignty within it.
Mr Marles said such commentators were "plain wrong" and insisted there was no "quid pro quo" to join in military action with the US.
"I couldn't be more unequivocal than that ... in all that we do, we maintain complete sovereignty for Australia," he said.
"The moment that there is a flag on the first of those Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s is the moment that submarine will be under the complete control of the Australian government of the day."
Mr Marles said while the submarines could operate in a potential conflict, the main intent was for them to contribute to regional stability and protect trade routes through the South China Sea.
"A lot of our trade goes to China, but all of our trade to Japan (and) to South Korea - two of our top five trading partners - goes through the South China Sea," he said.
"The maintenance of the rules-based order as we understand it, freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight is completely in Australia's interest and we need to make sure that we have a capability which can back up that interest."
Defence Minister Richard Marles insisted there was no "quid pro quo" to join in military action with the US in exchange for nuclear subs. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
Like the US, Australia recognises and has formal ties with China, but maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan.
In September last year, US President Joe Biden said his country's forces would defend Taiwan if China invaded.
Hopes Australia-China relations will continue to improve
Trade Minister Don Farrell, who met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao in February, said he was hopeful discussions to improve Australia's trade relations with Beijing wouldn't be affected by the AUKUS announcement.
"Everything is pointing in the right direction for stabilisation of the relationship and I'd be very confident that process will continue," Senator Farrell told Sky News on Sunday.
"We want a stable relationship with China, we want a mature relationship with China.
"At the same time we want to make sure that everything we do is in our national interest and dealing with the issues of our national security."
Senator Farrell remained confident imposed by China in 2020 could still be resolved.
But Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said it was important to be realistic following the Chinese government's comments about the AUKUS arrangement.
"I don't think the relationship is at its best at the moment. I think AUKUS is going to make it difficult for (the government) to get back into a place where they want to go (with China)," he said.
