Updated Sep 2, 2026 – 2.18pm, first published at 11.01amLondon | As AUKUS prepares to celebrate its fifth birthday, a high-powered reception in Britain’s Houses of Parliament on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) illuminated how Australia continues to tiptoe around China when justifying the purchase of nuclear-powered submarines.As lights gleamed off the Thames, Australian High Commissioner Jay Weatherill spoke in general terms about how the three AUKUS partners – Australia, the US and UK – shared an interest in security in both the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
UK’s defence minister loud and clear on AUKUS as a China deterrent
Unlike Australia, neither the UK nor the US see the need for diplomatic language when it comes to the nuclear submarine pact’s importance to countering China.
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