Won't promise to side with US in Taiwan conflict: Australia

Canberra, March 20

The Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles says his country had made no promises to the United States that Australia would support its ally in any future conflict over Taiwan in exchange for American nuclear-powered submarines.

US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Australia and the United Kingdom announced in San Diego last week that Australia would purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the US to modernise its fleet amid growing concern about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Australian critics of the deal argue that the United States would not hand over as many as five of its Virginia-class submarines without assurances that they would be made available in the event of a conflict with China over Taiwan.— AP