UK and US to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines

The three countries unveil new security partnership dubbed AUKUS in apparent push against China.

Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom have announced a new trilateral security partnership, including a joint effort to help the Australian military acquire nuclear-powered submarines, in an apparent push to counter China.

The leaders of all three countries unveiled the alliance, dubbed AUKUS, on Wednesday, stressing that the submarines would be nuclear powered, not carrying nuclear weapons.

Australia is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).