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20Sep20


Participation in AUKUS to cause catastrophic consequences for Australia — expert


The decision to enter an wide military alliance with the US may become a catastrophe for Australia, both from economic and reputational standpoints, says Tony Kevin, an international policy expert from Australia.

"[Prime Minister of Australia] Scott Morrison has announced his most disastrous decision to date […] which will cost hard-pressed Australian taxpayers literally billions of dollars urgently needed for climate change responses, infrastructure renewal, health and education, and support of industries hit by the pandemic and by expanding Chinese trade sanctions. This announcement spends and pledges huge sums of taxpayers’ money as if there is no tomorrow," Kevin says.

Entering the partnership made Australia to void its contract with France, signed five years ago; this will cause both severe economic consequences and a massive blow to Australian reputation, the expert opined.

"The French are furious. Cancellation fees will be at least $500 million. […] An angry France will make Australia pay in other ways e.g. in sanctions on trade with EU," the expert says, adding that Australia has already invested about $2 billion in this project.

However, Kevin believes that relations with France will not be the only victim of Australia’s accession to AUKUS.

"It locks Australia in even more deeply with its senior Five Eyes strategic allies US and UK against notional adversaries China and Russia. It will encourage the existing bitter Australian-Chinese enmity, driven by the Australian pro-US national lobby. The announcement will make it harder for Australian armed forces to stay out of rash US-UK anti-Chinese naval provocations in the South China or East China Seas, even if Australia’s national interest were to stay out of such actions," he said.

The new strategic alliance will effectively limit Australia’s sovereignty, forcing Canberra to follow the US’ interests first and its own second.

"With the announcement of AUKUS and the announced decision to order either American or British nuclear-powered submarines, Australia moves further into the front line military provocations against China or Russia. Australia’s main attraction for the US lies in geography: Australia’s location is ideal for triangulating strategic surveillance satellites on China and Russia. In strategic terms, Australia looks more and more like an American forward base in the Asia-Pacific region," Kevin concluded.

On September 16, Australia, the UK and the US announced the establishment of the AUKUS trilateral partnership on security in Indian and Pacific oceans. Under the agreement, Australia plans to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines that will be commissioned in 2036, as well as equip its armed forces with US-made cruise missiles. This forced Canberra to void its major military contract with France. China warned that the establishment of AUKUS will ramp up the arms race and urged all participants to abolish the "cold war mentality" and "narrow-minded geopolitical concepts."

[Source: Tass, Sydney, 17Sep21]

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East China Sea Conflict
small logoThis document has been published on 08Oct21 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft successfully docks to China’s space station — TV

The Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft has successfully docked to the basic module of China’s space station, the China Central Television broadcaster announced on Monday.

"The Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft successfully docked to the Tianhe core module of China’s space station at 10:08 p.m. local time [5:08 p.m. Moscow time]," the broadcaster reported.

The Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft blasted off at 3:10 p.m. local time towards China’s space station on Monday. The resupply ship has delivered food, propellant, spacesuits for spacewalks and other materials for the crew of the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship scheduled to launch in October.

About the space station

In April, China orbited the core module of its national space station. Three crewmembers of the Shenzhou-12 manned spacecraft worked aboard the national space station from June 17 to September 16. Over this period, the taikonauts (the name of spaceflight participants accepted in China) made two spacewalks to assemble equipment.

Overall, the assembly of all of the space station’s systems will require about twelve months and will be completed in 2022. The program envisages seven more launches to deliver another two Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules, two cargo spaceships and three manned expeditions with taikonauts into orbit.

China’s space station will have a mass of over 90 tonnes and accommodate three astronauts and up to six people upon a crew change. The space station will have a service life of about ten years.

After the basic elements of the Chinese space station are formed, China will orbit the Xuntian autonomous module with an optical telescope. Its mirror will have a diameter of two meters. The module will be furnished with its own thrusters and is expected to dock to the space station intermittently for repairs, refueling and equipment maintenance.

[Source: Tass, Beijing, 20Sep21]

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East China Sea Conflict
small logoThis document has been published on 08Oct21 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.