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Updated September 16th, 2021 at 12:15 IST

AUKUS: Australia invites China's Xi Jinping for talks after signing Indo-pacific pact

The invitation comes after the announcement of AUKUS partnership, which is seen as a veiled effort to confront Beijing's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific

Reported by: Vishnu V V
Australia
Image: AP | Image:self
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Following the announcement of AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison extended an open invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to engage in talks. According to international reports, the invitation put forth as the AUKUS partnership was being looked at as a veiled effort to confront Beijing's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. AUKUS focuses on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

AUKUS was announced jointly by President Joe Biden, Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison virtually by video conference. The new partnership has been launched to help in sustaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Following the announcement, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Morrison as saying, "I'll be having further calls today as we talk through those issues and engagement with China. There's an open invitation for President Xi ... That has always been there." 

AUKUS to promote 'free' Indo-Pacific

According to reports, the AUKUS partnership looks to confront China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific region. The trilaterally tied countries will now be launching an 18-month review to "strengthen the ability of each" to pursue their defence interests through cooperation on defence technology. Morrison, following the announcement of the ties, emphasised that the aim of the deal was to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific "whether that's in the South China Sea or anywhere else".

"Our world is becoming more complex, especially here in our region, the Indo-Pacific. This affects us all. The future of the Indo-Pacific will impact all our futures", Morrison said in the virtual conference. "To meet these challenges, to help deliver the security and stability our region needs, we must now take our partnership to a new level, a partnership that seeks to engage, not to exclude, to contribute, not take; and to enable and empower, not to control or coerce", he added.

READ | PM Modi Discusses 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' With Australian PM Scott Morrison

AUKUS' to deliver nuclear-powered submarine fleet to Australia

Speaking at the video conference, Morrison said that the first major initiative of AUKUS would be to deliver a new nuclear-powered submarine fleet to Australia. Morrison stressed that Australia was not seeking nuclear weapons or to develop a civil nuclear capability. He asserted that they would adhere to its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.

The Australian prime minister noted that the AUKUS will contribute to the growing partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region which comprises of "ANZUS; our ASEAN friends; our bilateral strategic partners, the Quad; Five Eyes countries; and, of course, our dear Pacific family." 

(Image: AP)

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Published September 16th, 2021 at 12:15 IST

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