US builds bulwark against China with UK-Australia security pact

The US has launched a new trilateral security partnership with the UK and Australia that will enable Canberra to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, a move that will strengthen the allies’ ability to counter China.

President Joe Biden announced the effort, which is designed to bolster alliances amid rising tensions with Beijing over disputes ranging from the South China Sea to Taiwan, in a virtual event on Wednesday with British prime minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.

Biden said the initiative, including the submarine plan, was necessary to ensure the countries had the best technology to “defend against rapidly evolving threats”, in rhetoric that appeared to be aimed at Beijing.

Read the full article and more from the Financial Times.