James Skinner
James is the Founder & Chief Executive of
CANZUK International in Vancouver, Canada
The new Australia – United Kingdom – United States (AUKUS) agreement ushered in a new era of defence cooperation, and its ramifications could be instrumental in shaping the future of a CANZUK defence alliance.
Last month, three of the world’s most developed nations announced a new defence alliance; Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, appropriately named “AUKUS”.
In addition to helping Australia develop its own nuclear attack submarines, the AUKUS alliance identified other areas of cooperation; namely cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities.
AUKUS was created to facilitate the transfer of British and American nuclear submarine technology to Australia, and facilitate the development of advanced new technologies, which may become even more important in the future given the hostile nature of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Australia, the UK and the US each had different reasons for forming the group. Australia sought closer relations with the UK and US because it wanted nuclear attack submarines, primarily because of the rising threat of China. With the Chinese Communist Party’s implementation of ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy and its rapid naval build-up, Australia saw the current Chinese trajectory as a threat to its sovereignty and right to self-determine its own affairs.
When the Australians approached the UK about potential defence collaboration, the British responded positively. For them, AUKUS exemplified ‘Global Britain’, the idea developed post-Brexit to demonstrate that the United Kingdom could indeed be a global actor outside of the European Union and “forge its own way” independent of Brussels. Not to mention, AUKUS would be the icing on the cake following the comprehensive trade agreement negotiated between the two nations to ease visa restrictions and promote the freer movement of goods and services.
And for the United States, AUKUS would greatly empower one of its closest Indo-Pacific allies while drawing its closest global ally permanently into the Indo-Pacific, thereby creating a stronger counterweight to Chinese aggression.
The agreement created widespread debate as its announcement was made with no expectation. Even the mainstream media – who are significantly experienced with government leaks and gossip – were seemingly taken by surprise. However, as James Rogers from the Council of Geostrategy notes:
“…the agreement is not a bolt from the blue. The three countries already have a very close relationship. The ability of Australia, the UK and US to interoperate and interchange forces with one another is perhaps the most extensive in the world, a consequence of little-known and informal terrestrial, naval and air spin-off agreements connected to the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence grouping.”
Ultimately, AUKUS is a defence pact between three like-minded nations to promote pace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – and what better additions could be available for this grouping than the two remaining countries of Canada and New Zealand.
Although New Zealand is adverse to the implementation of nuclear technology, the small island-nation resides similarly to Australia in that Chinese aggression is never too far away (both geographically and politically). Furthermore, Canada – although not in as close proximity to China as Australia and New Zealand – has had its own difficulties with the communist state and its wolf warrior diplomacy. The unjust imprisonment of Canadian journalists by Chinese authorities, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, is just one example of why Canada needs to tread carefully and look to its friends across the world for security.
Given that Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom already belong to the Five-Eyes Intelligence Alliance with the United States, it makes logical sense for Canada and New Zealand to also consider joining AUKUS to enhance military and cybersecurity capabilities. New Zealand has already expressed its interest, and Canada will likely follow suit after discussions for a new Canada-UK trade agreement commence in the coming months.
AUKUS has the potential to not only ensure a more active deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, but compliment the defence efforts of the four CANZUK countries and ensure global security in the twenty-first century. It is something that all supporters of CANZUK should welcome.
In addition to helping Australia develop its own nuclear attack submarines, the AUKUS alliance identified other areas of cooperation; namely cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities.
AUKUS was created to facilitate the transfer of British and American nuclear submarine technology to Australia, and facilitate the development of advanced new technologies, which may become even more important in the future given the hostile nature of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Australia, the UK and the US each had different reasons for forming the group. Australia sought closer relations with the UK and US because it wanted nuclear attack submarines, primarily because of the rising threat of China. With the Chinese Communist Party’s implementation of ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy and its rapid naval build-up, Australia saw the current Chinese trajectory as a threat to its sovereignty and right to self-determine its own affairs.
When the Australians approached the UK about potential defence collaboration, the British responded positively. For them, AUKUS exemplified ‘Global Britain’, the idea developed post-Brexit to demonstrate that the United Kingdom could indeed be a global actor outside of the European Union and “forge its own way” independent of Brussels. Not to mention, AUKUS would be the icing on the cake following the comprehensive trade agreement negotiated between the two nations to ease visa restrictions and promote the freer movement of goods and services.
And for the United States, AUKUS would greatly empower one of its closest Indo-Pacific allies while drawing its closest global ally permanently into the Indo-Pacific, thereby creating a stronger counterweight to Chinese aggression.
The agreement created widespread debate as its announcement was made with no expectation. Even the mainstream media – who are significantly experienced with government leaks and gossip – were seemingly taken by surprise. However, as James Rogers from the Council of Geostrategy notes:
“…the agreement is not a bolt from the blue. The three countries already have a very close relationship. The ability of Australia, the UK and US to interoperate and interchange forces with one another is perhaps the most extensive in the world, a consequence of little-known and informal terrestrial, naval and air spin-off agreements connected to the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence grouping.”
Ultimately, AUKUS is a defence pact between three like-minded nations to promote pace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – and what better additions could be available for this grouping than the two remaining countries of Canada and New Zealand.
Although New Zealand is adverse to the implementation of nuclear technology, the small island-nation resides similarly to Australia in that Chinese aggression is never too far away (both geographically and politically). Furthermore, Canada – although not in as close proximity to China as Australia and New Zealand – has had its own difficulties with the communist state and its wolf warrior diplomacy. The unjust imprisonment of Canadian journalists by Chinese authorities, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, is just one example of why Canada needs to tread carefully and look to its friends across the world for security.
Given that Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom already belong to the Five-Eyes Intelligence Alliance with the United States, it makes logical sense for Canada and New Zealand to also consider joining AUKUS to enhance military and cybersecurity capabilities. New Zealand has already expressed its interest, and Canada will likely follow suit after discussions for a new Canada-UK trade agreement commence in the coming months.
AUKUS has the potential to not only ensure a more active deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, but compliment the defence efforts of the four CANZUK countries and ensure global security in the twenty-first century. It is something that all supporters of CANZUK should welcome.
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