AUKUS Trilateral Security Partnership Announced

US President Biden, UK PM Johnson, and Australian PM Morrison announced AUKUS—a trilateral security partnership providing Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines (not nuclear-armed). The announcement blindsided France, which lost a $65B conventional submarine contract with Australia. China called it 'extremely irresponsible' and accused the partners of 'intensifying the arms race.' Indonesia and Malaysia expressed concern about nuclear-powered (even if not nuclear-armed) submarines in the region.