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Media Magelang - The newly-announced defence alliance involving Australia, the U.K and the U.S (AUKUS) has raised concerns over the potential global arms race in the Asia-Pacific following Canberra's plan to obtain a nuclear-powered submarine.
The pact allows the U.K and the U.S to support Australia to have a nuclear submarine, meaning the treaty enables the latter's navy forces to go against the alleged "enemies" in the region, including China.
Even though the AUKUS did not specifically mention China, it clearly hinted that the pact signals a tough stance on Beijing.
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Also, the pact angered France which signed a deal in 2016 to provide Australia diesel-electric Barracuda submarines worth 34 billion euros (A$55 billion) over a 25-year period.
"The Australian 2016 contacts with the French to help build non-nuclear powered submarines came to a point of frustration and economic escalation reportedly leading to Australia turning to the US and UK. Discussions between Australia and the US and UK had been ongoing for 18 months before an agreement was reached," said retired U.S Navy officer Lawrence Brennan in a written interview with Media Magelang on 29 September.
As a NATO member, France plays a vital role in the defence of Europe.
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ASEAN reactions
Indonesia's Director-General for Asia-Pacific and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdul Kadir Jaelani stated that it is normal for Indonesia to worry about the global implication of the AUKUS pact.
"There are some logical reasons for Indonesia to raise concerns over Australia's decision (to have a nuclear submarine) as it will change the geopolitical situation in the region, leading to the destabilization," the diplomat spoke in the discussion held by the Foreign Policy Community Indonesia (FPCI) on 1 October.
While Singapore and the Philippines welcomed the treaty, saying that the cooperation will boost regional cooperation and stability.
Vietnam showed a more neutral stance on the trilateral pact, stressing that the country always keeps track of foreign affairs.
"All countries strive for the same goal of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world over”, Hang said, adding nations around the world are responsible for contributing to such a goal," Vietnamese spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang stated as cited in Hanoitimes.vn on 23 September.
ASEAN member nations don't want to be dragged into the U.S-China rivalry as they aim to maintain a good relationship with all countries.
How about Russia?
National security analyst Brandon Weichert told Media Magelang on Skype interview that people tend to forget that Russia is also building its fleet in the Pacific.
" "People forget that Russia is also exerting its influence in the Pacific, such as modernizing its Pacific Fleet based out of Vladivostok,” he said.
Russia has been the dialogue partner of ASEAN since 1996.
In the summit in 2018, Russia and ASEAN agreed to forge a strategic partnership.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the creation of AUKUS and QUAD-a four-side security dialogue involving Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.
"All of this follows the line of eroding the universal formats in the Asia-Pacific Region which existed for the past decades under the auspices of ASEAN," the senior diplomat stated as cited in TASS on 2 October.
International relations expert Yusran told Media Magelang in an interview that Russia under Vladimir Putin continues to boost its influence and shares something in common with China aimed at maintaining a stable, peaceful Asia-Pacific.
"Russia has a good relationship with China and both have interests in maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific. In my opinion, Joe Biden, the U.K PM Boris Johnson and Australia PM Scott Morrison need to address concerns and objections from several countries who fear that the pact will trigger a nuclear arms race," he said.
Despite the close relationship between China and Russia, it may sound unlikely for them to build an alliance given that both are competing to counter the U.S influence.
“Russia certainly doesn't want China to become too strong yet they also don't want Beijing so weak that the Americans can run roughshod over Eurasia. The goal is to create an anti-American bubble around Eurasia, the most populous, resource-rich part of the world,” Brandon Weichert said.***
