The minister charged with revamping Australia’s arsenal says Washington shares Canberra’s concern that China is building up its military “without any of the strategic trust or transparency we would expect”.Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy is in the US meeting with senior defence and Trump administration officials for updates on AUKUS – the $368bn plan to arm Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.The three-way pact with the US and the UK is the centrepiece of Australia’s 21st century defence strategy and crucial to deterring threats from Beijing, according to Capital Hill.Coming three weeks after China launched a nuclear capable missile into the South Pacific, Mr Conroy said on Wednesday (AEST) the rare test came up in his meetings.“I briefed them not just about Australia’s reaction, but the reaction of the Pacific and the broad response, which was of concern and calling it out,” he told Nine’s Today.“The United States obviously shares similar concerns about the arms race.“We’re seeing that the build-up of the Chinese military, without any of the strategic trust or transparency we would expect.“We’re facing very uncertain strategic circumstances.”China’s test, which it claimed was “routine”, sent a political shockwave across the region and drew unanimous condemnation from Pacific Island countries.The Chinese foreign ministry has denied it was targeted at anyone.However, it happened just hours after Australia inked a mutual defence agreement with Fiji that could be extended to others in the region.Mr Conroy, who is also Pacific affairs minister, said he also briefed American officials on “our new alliances with Fiji and Papua New Guinea as well”.On AUKUS, he insisted the US was on track to deliver three promised Virginia-class submarines despite long-held concerns about production.Sluggish production in the US has sparked concerns that a US president could invoke an AUKUS escape clause letting Washington renege on its commitments if they threaten national security.But pointing to Australia’s multi-billion dollar investments into the US’s submarine building capabilities, Mr Conroy said he was “very confident”.“I visited one of their new submarine factories in South Carolina yesterday – this one factory that just opened last year is doing one-and-a-half million man hours helping build submarines,” he said.“So I’m very confident the transfer of those three Virginia-class submarines will occur because it’s in our national interest and the US national interest, and it’s a pathway to building our own submarines.”He added that the US had “hit every milestone” with production. Read related topics:China