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France signs major deal on Rafale warplanes, submarines

President Emmanuel Macron hailed the contract with Indonesia as a tribute to ‘French industrial excellence’ Indonesia has inked deals to purchase the first batch of French-made Dassault Rafale multipurpose fighter jets and two Scorpene-class submarines. The contract for the first six aircraft, signed on Thursday, is part of the Southeast Asian country’s plan to acquire […]

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Asia-Pacific doesn’t need ‘submarines and gunpowder’ from AUKUS pact, Chinese Foreign Ministry says

The Asia-Pacific does not need “submarines and gunpowder,” a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry has said, slamming the trilateral pact between the US, UK, and Australia, dubbed AUKUS, as derailing peace in the region. Speaking on Wednesday, Zhao Lijian slammed the nuclear submarine deal between the three powers, stating that it has intensified the arms […]

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‘Australia’s interests come first’: PM Morrison says he ‘doesn’t regret’ canceling submarines deal with France

Canberra’s long-term interests are “best served” by a military partnership with Washington and London rather than by its previous deal with Paris, the Australian PM has said, claiming the French vessels were not good enough. Proceeding with the 2016 submarine deal with France would have been “negligent” and harmful to Australia’s strategic interests, Scott Morrison […]

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‘Extremely irresponsible’: China slams new security pact between US, UK & Australia to arm Canberra with nuclear submarines

A new plan by the US, UK, and Australia to provide Canberra with nuclear-powered submarines undermines regional stability and intensifies the arms race, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said. US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Australian PM Scott Morrison announced the AUKUS initiative during a joint virtual event late on Wednesday. […]

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Three Eyes… against China? Biden says US & UK to help Australia build ‘conventionally armed’ NUCLEAR submarines

The US, UK and Australia have announced a new military initiative, dedicated to a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The first step of the alliance that appears aimed against China is to provide Canberra with nuclear submarines. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison joined US President Joe Biden in a virtual […]