AUKUS Expands
AUKUS Expands
New Zealand has stepped up its interest in joining the non-nuclear pillar of Aukus, The U.S. has kicked off talks with Britain and Australia on inviting Japan to collaborate on defense technology
UPDATES: New Zealand's foreign and defense ministers met with their Australian counterparts to discuss foreign policy and security, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific. In a joint press conference, defence minister Marles announced an Australian delegation would travel to New Zealand “very shortly” to brief officials on the second pillar of the Aukus pact – a security partnership between Australia, the UK, and US prompted by China’s growing influence in the region, and which is centred on the Australian navy receiving nuclear-powered submarines.
The U.S. has kicked off talks with Britain and Australia on inviting Japan to collaborate on defense technology under the AUKUS security partnership, according to a media report, with an announcement possible as soon as next month. Japan’s involvement in the partnership would be limited to specific projects, excluding nuclear-powered submarines under the first pillar of the trilateral agreement, with the aim of boosting multilateral cooperation toward deterring China, the Nikkei business daily reported Saturday
New Zealand steps up interest in Aukus as Pacific security concerns grow
By Eva Corlett
New Zealand has stepped up its interest in joining the non-nuclear pillar of Aukus, amid China’s growing presence in the Pacific and broader concerns over a “reshaped world”.
New Zealand’s foreign minister Winston Peters – also a deputy prime minister – and the defence minister, Judith Collins, travelled to Melbourne to meet with their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, for the inaugural “2+2” Australia and New Zealand foreign and defence ministers’ meeting on Thursday.
Talks between the countries focused on approaches to foreign policy, security and defence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a joint press conference, defence minister Marles announced an Australian delegation would travel to New Zealand “very shortly” to brief officials on the second pillar of the Aukus pact – a security partnership between Australia, the UK, and US prompted by China’s growing influence in the region, and which is centred on the Australian navy receiving nuclear-powered submarines.
The second “pillar” of Aukus covers the sharing of advanced military technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence. New Zealand has not been offered the chance to join pillar one, nor would it accept, due to its anti-nuclear position.
Peters said that discussions taking place between the two countries in the current global climate were “of far greater acuity and importance than it’s ever been in the lifetime of anybody in this room”.
In 2022, China struck a security pact with Solomon Islands, alarming Washington and Canberra. In January, the Pacific nation of Nauru switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, and this week, Papua New Guinea’s foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, confirmed the country was in early talks with Beijing on a potential security and policing deal.
Collins hoped Australian officials would travel to New Zealand for an Aukus briefing “as soon as possible”.
“We really want to look at what the opportunities are and whether or not its something we could be part of,” Collins said, adding that New Zealand could offer space and technology expertise.
The ministers hoped to increase “interoperability” and “interchangeability” between the two countries’ defence forces, making it easier for forces to operate alongside each other and exchange similarly trained personnel and equipment.
When asked if joining Aukus – which China has labelled a cold war-era pact that would be dangerous for the region – could sour the relationship with New Zealand’s biggest trading partner, Peters said: “China is a country that practises something I have got a lot of time for – they practise their national interest … and that’s what we’re doing”.
The Chinese embassy in Wellington also issued a statement on Friday saying: “Like all peace-loving countries, China has serious concerns over Aukus.”
“It is hoped that relevant countries will cherish the hard-won environment for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and be prudent with their words and action,” the statement added.
An editorial published by China Daily, the English-language official state mouthpiece of Beijing, warned that New Zealand was risking its relationship with China.
“Whatever role New Zealand is being solicited to play in joining Aukus, it would no doubt cast a shadow on bilateral ties and even offset what has been achieved in advancing bilateral cooperation,” it said.
Wellington has historically taken a more conciliatory approach towards China than Australia or its other Five Eyes security partners, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
But in recent years, New Zealand has become increasingly vocal on issues including human rights, the international rules-based order and potential militarisation of the Pacific. In 2022, China’s activities in the region prompted New Zealand to begin developing its own maritime security “work plans” with Solomon Islands and in 2023, signed a defence agreement with Fiji to strengthen military training and maritime security.
Speaking to SkyNews on Thursday Peters said there had been “external interest” in the Pacific because countries with traditional interests had “neglected” the region.
“When you have a vacuum being formed, it will be filled,” Peters said.
New Zealand seeks to be a positive influence in the Pacific and to treat its neighbours “as equals”, he said.
During the joint press conference, Australia’s foreign affairs minister Wong stressed the importance of Australia and New Zealand’s relationship at a time when the world is being “reshaped”.
“We often speak about having come to this government at a time of the most difficult or challenging strategic circumstances since the second world war – I think we do live in times where the world, the region, is being reshaped,” she said, adding that Australia and New Zealand has a role in ensuring peace, stability and prosperity within the region.
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AUKUS eyes defense tech collaboration with Japan, report says
BY KATHLEEN BENOZA AND JESSE JOHNSON
The U.S. has kicked off talks with Britain and Australia on inviting Japan to collaborate on defense technology under the AUKUS security partnership, according to a media report, with an announcement possible as soon as next month.
Japan’s involvement in the partnership would be limited to specific projects, excluding nuclear-powered submarines under the first pillar of the trilateral agreement, with the aim of boosting multilateral cooperation toward deterring China, the Nikkei business daily reported Saturday.
The security pact is built on two pillars: AUKUS Pillar 1 focuses on helping Australia acquire conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and AUKUS Pillar 2 focuses on the development and sharing of advanced tech with warfighting capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, undersea drones, hypersonic missiles and electronic warfare technologies.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is reportedly aiming to reach an agreement early next month, and an announcement could come during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s state visit to Washington on April 10.
If invited, Japan would be the first country outside of the three partners to work under the AUKUS framework since it was launched in September 2021. There are no plans to have Japan become a formal member of the grouping, the Nikkei report said.
Mira Rapp-Hooper, the senior director for East Asia and Oceania with the U.S. National Security Council, recently hinted that AUKUS Pillar 2 will look at projects that can “potentially bring in others.”
“We’re hoping to make good progress in the very near term,” she told a recent online forum, adding that the pool of allies and partners has a lot to contribute to some “very exciting cooperation on advanced capabilities,” even without being a part of Pillar 1.
Last month, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, who serves concurrently as deputy prime minister, said he wanted to “work more closely with Japan” on technological developments, calling the nation a "place of innovation," but ruled out Tokyo's involvement in the trilateral grouping’s nuclear submarine project.
Marles, however, stressed that collaboration with Japan would not be happening soon, as AUKUS’ second pillar remains in the formative stages. Still, Canberra and Tokyo have recently signaled that they are laying the groundwork for cooperation, with the two recently agreeing to launch joint research on the future development of underwater drones.
Last November, former Prime Minister Taro Aso also promoted the idea of Japan joining AUKUS, which he said could be relabeled as “JAUKUS,” amid growing regional assertiveness by China.
Experts say Japan could considerably benefit from participating in AUKUS Pillar 2 by giving Tokyo more experience in internationalizing its defense industry — which is undergoing dramatic changes as the country relaxes restrictions on the export of defense equipment.
“Strengthening ties between the defense industries of Japan and AUKUS members is a good opportunity to improve the Japanese industry’s competitiveness,” Rena Sasaki, an East Asian security expert, wrote in a recent analysis.
But even with Japan’s potentially small involvement in AUKUS, it would require the strengthening of cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and technology — including through the creation of an adequate security clearance system — something the government is looking to address with a new bill that could clear the parliament in the current session.
The envisioned system, which will put Japan on par with other Group of Seven nations, will punish those who leak “information critical to national economic security” with up to five years in prison, a fine of up to ¥5 million ($33,220), or both.
Sasaki said that without a security clearance system covering the economic and technological fields, “Japanese manufacturers will struggle to access classified information in joint developments.”
“Japan needs a security clearance system before it joins AUKUS,” she added.
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