Austin When Asked About China Says AUKUS Pact Not Aimed At Any Country

Austin When Asked About China Says AUKUS Pact Not Aimed at Any Country

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2021) The Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) defense pact was not created with the intent to counter any particular country in the Indo-Pacific region, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday when asked if the trilateral agreement risked raising tensions with China.

"On the issue of China, let me just emphasize upfront that this agreement, this relationship is not aimed at anything or anyone," Austin said during a press conference alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Australian counterparts. "The intent here is to help improve our trilateral cooperation and our capabilities across the board. The first step is to focus on helping Australia acquire a nuclear-powered submarine capability."