Macron warns of ‘nuclear confrontation’ with China as Australia acquires nuclear submarines
French President Emmanuel Macron warns Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear submarines could further provoke China, risking “nuclear confrontation” in the future.
Macron was speaking in Bangkok ahead of the APEC leaders forum. He says his country’s deal with Australia to build conventional submarines was “not confrontational.”
He believes it would have strengthened Australia’s “freedom and sovereignty”.
But, according to the French leader, Scott Morrison’s decision to scrap this sub deal is undermining sovereignty and security in the Oceania region.
“The choice made by (former) prime minister Morrison was the opposite, re-entering into nuclear confrontation, making himself completely dependent by deciding to equip themselves (with a) submarine fleet that the Australians are incapable of producing and maintaining in-house.”
Macron says France was “helping and accompanying Australia in building a submarine fleet in-house.”
He says the deal gave sovereignty to Australia, because “the nation will maintain the submarines themselves.”
Macron says the offer to build Australia conventional submarines is still on the table.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles says France is an important partner, but the government is sticking with the AUKUS deal.
“We’re focused on the process that we are engaged in with the United Kingdom and the United States in determining what is the optimal pathway forward … in relation to our future nuclear submarines and France is aware of that.”
