A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation harms efforts to keep the region peaceful and secure, adding that the United States, the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia should not proceed with their nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, until the international community reaches consensus on safeguards and other issues.

It was reported that Australia has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the United States and the UK on nuclear-powered submarines that will enable the three countries to exchange nuclear-related material and information.

When asked to comment on the signing of agreement, spokesperson Lin Jian said the United States, the UK and Australia formed AUKUS to advance cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies. Their moves exacerbate the arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, incite bloc politics and military confrontation and hurt regional peace and stability. China and relevant countries in the region have expressed more than once serious concerns and firm opposition, said Lin.

"AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation contravenes the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)," Lin said, adding the cooperation involves the transfer of nuclear-powered submarine reactors and a large amount of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from nuclear-weapon states to a non-nuclear-weapon state, which constitutes grave nuclear proliferation risks.

Lin noted the existing safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot place effective safeguards on that, and major controversy exists on the interpretation and application of relevant safeguards provisions. Many countries have already expressed their concerns during the recent second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, he said.

China calls on the international community to take seriously the impact of AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation on the authority and effectiveness of the NPT, and its negative effect on the IAEA safeguards regime, said Lin, adding that the international community needs to continue to advance the intergovernmental process and address the world's concerns over the legal and technical issues involved in the cooperation through the IAEA, the NPT review process and other platforms.

"Until the international community reaches consensus on safeguards and other issues, the United States, the UK and Australia should not proceed with their nuclear-powered submarine cooperation," said Lin.

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