Concerns voiced over AUKUS nuclear pact

China reiterated its deep concern on Thursday about the risks of nuclear proliferation posed by AUKUS, a trilateral security pact of Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, just days before a scheduled announcement by leaders of the three countries.

Li Song, China's permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation constitutes serious nuclear proliferation risks, brings a negative impact to the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, provokes an arms race and impairs peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

"It has been widely questioned and opposed by the countries in the region and the international community," Li told the IAEA board of governors meeting in Vienna.

At Thursday's meeting, Russia and a number of other countries voiced their support for China's stance.

US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are expected to meet in San Diego on Monday to announce a major plan regarding AUKUS.

Under the plan, Australia is expected to buy up to five US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines in the 2030s as part of the trilateral military pact.

The essence of the cooperation is the transfer of tons of highly enriched weapons-grade uranium by the US and the UK, Li said.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning echoed the position stated by Li. "We urge the US, the UK and Australia to abandon their Cold War mentality and zero-sum game, fulfill their international obligations in good faith and act in the interest of regional peace and stability," Mao told a daily briefing on Thursday.

James Acton, co-director of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, criticized the AUKUS deal right after its formation in 2021. "In my assessment, the nonproliferation implications of the AUKUS submarine deal are both negative and serious," Acton said.