China has reacted angrily to Britain’s “inevitable decline” following Brexit. The attack comes after the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia revealed new details about the Aukus pact, which aims to develop a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
It also comes after the release of an update to the United Kingdom’s integrated review of defence and foreign policy, which warns that China poses a “epoch-defining challenge” to the world order.
But Beijing hit back this morning, with Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times carrying a quote saying Britain following US foreign policy has “caused the inevitable decline of the country’s global influence after Brexit”.
Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia of igniting a new arms race.
It accused the United Kingdom and the United States of violating the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by transferring weapons-grade enriched uranium to a non-nuclear weapons power.
“The latest joint statement issued by the US, UK, and Australia shows that the three countries have gone further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest, completely ignoring the concerns of the international community,” spokesman Wenbin Wang said at a daily briefing in Beijing.
China’s rage stems from this week’s summit in San Diego, California, where Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the latest stage of the Aukus collaboration.