Boris Johnson has announced a new national security alliance with the leaders of the US and Australia in an attempt to counter China‘s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
The prime minister spoke alongside US president Joe Biden and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison to unveil the AUKUS partnership, which will see the three countries share expertise on issues such as cyber warfare and artificial intelligence.
China was not mentioned in the live briefing but there was frequent reference to the changing situation in the region and it follows tensions between Beijing and Australia in recent months.
The alliance will work “hand-in-glove to preserve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Johnson said.
The joint announcement has also confirmed that the US will provide a nuclear-powered submarine to Australia, with Scott Morrison’s government abandoning a $90bn submarine deal with France.
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Boris Johnson’s national security announcement tonight.
Boris Johnson ‘to announce new alliance with US and Australia’
Boris Johnson is set to announce a new alliance with the US and Australia with the aim of countering China’s global power, according to reports.
It has been reported that Mr Johnson, US president Joe Biden and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will announce a new working group, known by the acronym AUKUS, to allow the countries to share information in key technological areas.
These are expected to include artificial intelligence, cyber, underwater systems and long-range strike capabilities.
In an integrated review of security and foreign policy earlier this year, the UK government outlined plans for a “tilt” in focus towards the Indo-Pacific region, with aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth being deployed on a voyage east.
ICYMI: Johnson flexes muscles with shake-up of cabinet for post-Covid era
It has already been a busy day for Boris Johnson, who reshuffled his Cabinet this afternoon in a major shake-up of his government.
The prime minister replaced Dominic Raab as foreign secretary with Liz Truss following the chaotic withdrawal of western troops from Afghanistan and dismissed his education secretary Gavin Williamson after a series of gaffes and missteps in office.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
The leader of Canada’s Conservative Party has questioned why his country has been left out of the expected alliance between the UK, US and Australia to be announced tonight.
“Canada left out again… Do our allies just not trust [Justin] Trudeau?” Erin O’Toole, who is the country’s leader of the opposition, wrote on Twitter.
BREAKING: Britain forms nuclear AUKUS alliance with Australia and US to curb China
The UK has formed a new security pact with the US and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region that will involve an array of projects in the fields of cyber warfare, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, it has been announced.
Although senior British officials insist that the new alliance is not aimed at any one country, it comes in the face of increasingly aggressive posturing from China.
Our defence editor, Kim Sengupta, has more on this breaking story below:
You can watch the joint press conference live below:
Watch: Watch live as Biden and Johnson give joint address on national security
Watch live as US president Joe Biden, UK prime minister Boris Johnson and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison deliver remarks on a strategic national security initiative on Wednesday (15 September).The leaders are expected to announce a new security pact, which would allow the three nations to share military technology and intelligence. The initiative is widely seen as an effort to push back on the growing power of China in these arenas.It is believed the alliance will be known by the acronym AUKUS.
The new UK foreign secretary Liz Truss has described the AUKUS alliance as a “landmark” security partnership designed to deepen ties in the Indo-Pacific.
“We will work together to promote stability in a region that will become ever more important for the UK’s prosperity and security,” Ms Truss wrote on Twitter.
Boris Johnson’s comments on the new alliance can be found below:
“The UK, Australia and US are natural allies – while we may be separated geographically, our interests and values are shared. The AUKUS alliance will bring us closer than ever, creating a new defence partnership and driving jobs and prosperity.
“This partnership will become increasingly vital for defending our interests in the Indo-Pacific region and, by extension, protecting our people back at home.”
Australia’s Morrison insists new submarines will not field nuclear weapons
Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison has insisted that new submarines provided by the US as part of the AUKUS alliance will not be used for nuclear weapons.
Under the partnership, the US will help Australia with the technology and capability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr Morrison said on Wednesday night that the watercraft would be built in Adelaide in close cooperation with the US and UK, but Australia would not be fielding nuclear weapons.
“We will continue to meet all our nuclear non-proliferation obligations,” he said.
Johnson: Defence partnership marks ‘new chapter’ in UK, US and Australia’s ‘friendship’
The UK’s new alliance with the US and Australia marks a “new chapter” in global relations and will aim to make the world safer and generate jobs across the country, Boris Johnson has claimed.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Mr Johnson said he was “delighted” to join US president Joe Biden and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison to announce the AUKUS partnership.
He said: “We are opening a new chapter in our friendship and the first task of this partnership will be to help Australia acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, emphasising of course that the submarines in question will be powered by nuclear reactors, not armed with nuclear weapons, and our work will be fully in line with our non-proliferation obligations.”
Mr Johnson added: “Perhaps most significantly, the UK, Australia and the US will be joined even more closely together, reflecting the measure of trust between us, the depth of our friendship, and the enduring strength of our shared values of freedom and democracy.
“Now the UK will embark on this project alongside our allies, making the world safer and generating jobs across the United Kingdom.”
