Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has accused the Albanese government of succumbing to U.S. influence in the trilateral Australia-UK-U.S. (AUKUS) cooperation on nuclear submarines, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Saturday.
Keating emphasized that AUKUS essentially translates to the military dominance of Australia by the United States. He warned that Australia’s alignment with the U.S. could lead to it becoming the 51st state of the country, despite having no direct threats due to its geographical isolation.
He pointed out that Australia’s partnership with an aggressive ally like the U.S. is unnecessary, as there are no foreseeable security threats from neighboring countries. Keating believes that the U.S. aims to control China, with no strategic interests in Australia.
Keating also highlighted concerns about the potential overshadowing of Australia’s military capabilities by U.S. presence, leading to Australia being perceived as a U.S. protectorate in the Asia-Pacific region.
(With information from Xinhua)