Australia Won't Promise to Side with US in Taiwan Conflict

The defense minister of Australia denies promising to aid the US in a battle over Taiwan in exchange for nuclear-powered submarines.

Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles has denied making any promises to the US that Australia would support its ally in any future conflict over Taiwan in exchange for American nuclear-powered submarines. This comes after the announcement of the AUKUS deal, which includes Australia purchasing nuclear-powered attack submarines from the US to modernize its fleet. Critics argue that the US would not hand over as many as five of its Virginia-class submarines without assurances that they would be made available in the event of a conflict with China over Taiwan. However, Marles stated that the Australian government has given the US no such assurances. While the submarines could be used in the case of a conflict, their primary intent is to protect vital trade routes through the South China Sea and contribute to regional stability.

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/03/20/australia-wont-promise-side-us-taiwan-conflict.html