Despite the refusal by officials to mention the country by name during yesterday’s statements, the new AUKUS arrangement is clearly aimed at China.
Two administration officials, speaking to reporters during a White House background briefing, went out of their way to insist that the new arrangement was not aimed at any single country, but even the reporters at the briefing couldn’t help but notice the obvious and kept asking about what AUKUS means for China. “This partnership is not aimed [at], or about, any one country; it’s about advancing our strategic interests, upholding the international rules-based order, and promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” one of the officials said.
One reporter noted that submarines are about national security and that China is the only country in the region not involved in that discussion. “This is not aimed at any one country,” the official repeated. “This is about a larger effort to sustain the fabric of engagement and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.”
Another reporter asked if President Biden had mentioned the new partnership in his phone call with Xi Jinping at the beginning of the week. “Not in any specific terms, but President Biden did underscore our determination to play a strong, strong role in the Indo-Pacific,” the official said. “He reviewed some of the efforts that we’ve taken to date — engagements in Europe and the like.”
