Opinion | AUKUS : A pact that entitles Morrison to be a petty clown under Biden's control

By Edward Hei Leung, DAB Standing Committee Member

AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, was announced last week, marking a huge upgrade of Australian military weapons. Yet, this breaking news was then followed by the cancellation of submarine contract with France, who felt gravely offended and call back its ambassadors afterwards. Such a diplomatic mishandling does not only reveal that Morrison government continuously makes decisions based on anti-Chinese hatred rather national interests, but also western alliance is not as consolidated as its leaders imagine.

A costly submarine building project with lots of limitations

Though senior officials argue that the country needs a nuclear-powered submarine for regional superiority, Australian former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr describes Morrison's decision as fatally wrong. In fact, the newly introduced purchase cost will largely increase the national defense budget probably higher than the current 2.2% of Gross Domestic Product. Who is then liable to the increased expenditure?

Besides costly submarines, their service time provokes controversy, not only because of taking 18 months for the special task force to guide the coalition's goal to become a "reliable steward" of nuclear technology, but also the first nuclear-powered submarine cannot not be in service until 2040. In other words, Australia leaves itself strategically naked for approximately 20 years, given the country's ageing Collins class submarine fleet. "It is too long to wait", Australian former prime minister Kevin Ruddd criticized the expected schedule.

Paul Keating, another former prime minister, also slams the new nuclear alliance. He argues that Australia will be increasingly dependent on the US by which any freedom or choice in any engagement Australia may deem inappropriate has been robbed.

Secret deal stabbed France in the back

As an old Chinese saying goes, misfortune never comes singly. Let us look at France, the country who has a sudden great loss. Paul Keating feels sorry of the foreign policy and national security debacle made by his home country. He declares that France has every right to be angry. In fact, France has already shown its dissatisfaction by withdrawing ambassadors from Canberra and Washington in response to this unexpected betrayal. Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Foreign Minister, mentions that a serious crisis is now in progress between their allies. "There has been lying, duplicity, a major breach of trust and contempt", he further elaborates that the current situation is brutal, unilateral and unpredictable, and more importantly reminds him a lot of what Donald Trump used to do.

It does not take much to know that fury in Paris spreads to other western partners, especially inside European Union. In fact, analysts believe that Australia's hopes of entering into a free-trade agreement with the European Union has now hit rough waters, given that EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, demands Australia to explain its misconduct on EU member state France.

Worse still, western countries feel gravely offended, so as to ASEAN nations. Malaysia has warned the pact as "a catalyst for a nuclear arms race", meanwhile Indonesia even cancel a meeting with Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison to air its grievance. Can you imagine that it demands Morrison to speak with Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, on his way to UN conference in New York. As reported, Morrison reassured Indonesia that Australia would maintain all the obligations under the non-proliferation treaty and the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and AUKUS agreement could contribute to peace and stability. Again, who will trust a country breaching international military contract? Or who will be as silly as Morrison to take side, especially when two superpowers have conflicts?

Afghanistan yesterday, France today, who will be the next to sacrifice amid America First Principle?

Amid criticisms on the mishandled US exit from Afghanistan, Joe Biden, the US president seemingly haven't learnt a lesson. Biden once declared that America is back in G7 summit. To me, it looks like the self-centered America rather than the so-called world police is back. Hopefully, Australia will not be the second Afghanistan, whereby citizens there suffered a great loss amid the principles of America first.

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