China Warns Against Fuelling Crisis Via Aukus Deal

China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, warned on Tuesday against measures that might fuel a crisis like the Ukraine conflict elsewhere in the world. He had been asked about a deal between Australia, Britain and the United States to co-operate on hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities.

"Anyone who does not want to see the Ukrainian crisis should refrain from doing things which may lead the other parts of the world into a crisis like this," Zhang told reporters. "As the Chinese saying goes: if you do not like it, do not impose it against the others."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had earlier said that he, US President Joe Biden and Australian premier Scott Morrison had progressed arrangements for a new defence alliance, Aukus. In a joint statement following a telephone call, the three leaders iterated their commitment to co-operation on various projects, including nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.

"We also committed today to commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, and electronic warfare capabilities," the statement said.

The United States and Australia already have a hypersonic weapon programme called SCIFiRE, and British officials said that though Britain would not join that programme at this point, the three countries would work together on research and development in the area to increase their options.

"In light of Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified, and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, we reiterated our unwavering commitment to an international system that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion," the leaders said, adding that they also reaffirmed their commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific". (Reuters)