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Australia defends AUKUS pact at ASEAN summit
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also sought to reassure ASEAN that AUKUS, a trilateral security pact agreed last month between the United States, Britain and Australia, under which Australia will get access to nuclear-powered submarines, did not mean a pursuit of nuclear arms and was not a security threat.
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This handout photo released by the host broadcast, ASEAN Summit 2021, on October 27, 2021 shows Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (C) taking part in the ASEAN-Australia Summit on the sidelines of the 2021 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, held online on a live video conference in Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. (AFP/Handout)
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ustralia on Wednesday proposed a strengthening of relations to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP), which would make it the first country to agree such a deal with ASEAN.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also sought to reassure ASEAN that AUKUS, a trilateral security pact agreed last month between the United States, Britain and Australia, under which Australia will get access to nuclear-powered submarines, did not mean a pursuit of nuclear arms and was not a security threat.
"AUKUS adds to our network of partnerships that support regional stability and security," he said.
On Wednesday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said he was concerned the agreement, known as AUKUS "could spark rivalry in the region", according to Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi.
The Philippines has backed AUKUS but its president, Rodrigo Duterte, on Wednesday said it "must complement and not complicate our working methods for cooperation."
Southeast Asia has become a strategic battleground in the rivalry between the United States and China, with Washington and its allies stepping up patrols to challenge Beijing's vast maritime fleet, which it deploys to buttress its claims to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.
Earlier on Wednesday, Australia said it will donate at least 10 million more COVID-19 vaccines and offer A$124 million ($92.6 million) in financial aid to Southeast Asia, as Canberra seeks to strengthen ties with countries in the region.
Morrison also pressed the case for a proposed comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with the 10-member bloc.
"ASEAN is at the centre of the Indo-Pacific and we back this both through our words and our actions," Morrison told ASEAN leaders.
Australia's push for a stronger relationship with ASEAN comes amid growing concerns about China's activities and influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Morrison said a comprehensive strategic partnership would be more than just a "label", urging ASEAN to consider positively the proposal for enhanced ties.
"We will back it with substance that positions our partnership to address complex problems in the future," Morrison said.
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