China thwarts IAEA proposal to legalize AUKUS nuclear submarine deal

China’s permanent representation at the United Nations in Vienna thwarted an amendment proposed by the American University of Kosovo states to legalize its cooperation on nuclear submarines at a meeting of the nuclear watchdog on Friday, the representation chief announced.

At the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) this week, the US, UK and Australia proposed an amendment to an IAEA security resolution to expand their submarine business under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but later withdrew after China. opposition.

This is the first time since November 2021 that the IAEA has reviewed the AUKUS submarine deal at a general conference level after China announced the start of the intergovernmental review process in Vienna, Wang Chun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna, said Friday after the meeting. Meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Wang accused AUKUS of trying to “whitewash” the nuclear submarine deal by urging the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency to adopt its amendment and trying to mislead the public and censor the “demonization” of the intergovernmental review process initiated by China.

In September 2021, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia created the AUKUS alliance, under which the United States and the United Kingdom will support Australia in the purchase of nuclear-powered submarines. China and many other countries have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the proliferation of nuclear weapons materials under the Tripartite Agreement.

The Chinese envoy said that China thwarted the change proposed by AUKUS in its attempt to protect the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Several IAEA member states also expressed significant concerns at the conference about the proliferation risks of AUKUS’s submarine operations.