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澳前總理基廷：“中國軍事威脅論”愚蠢且不值得回答
2023-03-16 20:58:49中國新聞網
中新網3月16日電 近日，美英澳宣布核潛艇合作方案。澳大利亞前總理保羅•基廷(Paul Keating)15日痛批這一協議是“有史以來最糟糕的交易”，是澳大利亞工黨政府做出的“最糟糕的外交決定”。他還指出，所謂的“中國軍事威脅論”非常愚蠢，且“不值得回答”。
3月13日，美國聖迭戈，美國總統拜登(中)、澳大利亞總理阿爾巴尼斯(左)和英國首相蘇納克共同宣布美英為澳大利亞配備核潛艇的具體計劃。
當地時間13日，美、英、澳三國領導人就所謂“美英澳三邊安全夥伴關係”(AUKUS)舉行會談，並公布了向澳大利亞提供核潛艇和常規武器的三階段計劃的細節。
根據會後三方公布的聯合聲明，美國將向澳大利亞出售3艘美國“弗吉尼亞”級核潛艇，交易大概在2030年代初完成，後續可能再追加出售2艘。三國還計劃，以美國和英國的技術為基礎，合作研製一種新型核潛艇。澳大利亞軍方官員稱，整個計劃預計將在2055年完成，耗資2450億美元。
15日，在接受澳全國記者協會活動采訪時，澳大利亞前總理基廷指出，澳大利亞放棄法國的潛艇計劃轉而尋求向美國購買核潛艇，不僅耗資巨大，而且是一個沒有經過深思熟慮的倉促決定。
Paul keating savages AUKUS nuclear submarine deal
圖片來源：澳大利亞廣播公司(ABC)報道截圖
“讓我們國家同另一個國家——美國——簽署協議，為他們的偏好服務，後麵還跟著沒頭沒腦的英國人，這可不是什麽好景象。”他說。
基廷認為，“盡管代價巨大，但AUKUS既不能解決本地區大國競爭的挑戰，也不能解決澳大利亞人民和澳大利亞大陸的安全問題。”
談到所謂的“中國軍事威脅論”時，基廷表示，中國“不會攻擊我們，也從未威脅要攻擊我們”。
他假設道，“帶著一支龐大的軍隊艦隊占領我們，中國人不可能做出這種事。”
他指出，“美英澳三邊安全夥伴關係”完全是美國為了在亞洲維持其戰略霸權。“美國在亞洲沒有土地，並非是亞洲國家，但它自稱並想要成為亞洲主要的戰略部分。”
“阿爾巴尼斯的錯誤在於，幫著美國‘擰緊了為遏製中國而打造的長鏈中的最後一道鎖’。”基廷說。
中國外交部發言人汪文斌3月15日強調，中方敦促美英澳切實履行核不擴散義務，不要損害機構保障監督體係的權威性、有效性。我們也敦促機構秘書處嚴格根據授權履行職責，不要為三國的核擴散行為背書。
同時，中方呼籲機構所有成員國積極推進政府間進程，就美英澳核潛艇合作涉及的保障監督問題尋求解決辦法，捍衛以《不擴散核武器條約》為基石的國際核不擴散體係，維護國際和平與安全。
【編輯:何路曼】
Paul Keating savages AUKUS nuclear submarine deal as Labor's worst since conscription
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-15/paul-keating-anthony-albanese-penny-wong-aukus-nuclear-china/102098142
Former prime minister Paul Keating has taken aim at Australia's AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal with the United States and the United Kingdom, calling it the "worst international decision" by a Labor government since conscription in World War I.
Key points:
- The AUKUS deal will see Australia spend up to $368 billion to acquire nuclear-powered submarines
- Mr Keating has dubbed it one of the worst deals in history
- He insists Australia should draw closer to China than to the United States and the United Kingdom
The former Labor leader also offered a scathing assessment of the government's most senior politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles, and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, dubbing Mr Marles and Senator Wong "seriously unwise ministers".
"This week, Anthony Albanese screwed into place the last shackle in the long chain the United States has laid out to contain China," Mr Keating said in a written statement issued before he addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday.
"No mealy-mouthed talk of 'stabilisation' in our China relationship or resort to softer or polite language will disguise from the Chinese the extent and intent of our commitment to United States's strategic hegemony in East Asia with all its deadly portents.
"History will be the judge of this project in the end. But I want my name clearly recorded among those who say it is a mistake. Who believes that, despite its enormous cost, it does not offer a solution to the challenge of great power competition in the region or to the security of the Australian people and its continent."
Mr Keating has been critical of the AUKUS defence pact since it was first struck between the three nations 18 months ago.
Mr Albanese met with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in California earlier this week, where they finalised a deal for Australia to buy and build nuclear-powered submarines, costing up to $368 billion over three decades.
Australia will eventually build British-designed nuclear-powered submarines with American combat systems.
Before that happens, Australia will buy at least three US nuclear-powered submarines early next decade — boats that might be second-hand and need US Congressional approval.
The Coalition has endorsed the deal.
"For $360 billion, we're going to get eight submarines. It must be the worst deal in all history," Mr Keating said.
The nuclear-powered submarines will replace Australia's ageing diesel-powered Collins Class submarines, which Mr Keating took credit at the National Press Club for acquiring with then-Labor defence minister Kim Beazley.
Mr Beazley, in an interview with the ABC's Afternoon Briefing, said he disagreed with Mr Keating's assessment that the AUKUS deal was the worst international decision by a Labor government since World War I.
"I don't agree with that — no. And I think it's a good decision that's been arrived at with detailed consideration," he said.
"I actually think we need these submarines. It's a question of their speed and the areas that they have to cover."
Australian, American and British officials have cited the growth of China's military as a key reason for Australia needing nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr Keating dismissed China's growing military as posing a threat to Australia.
"Let me say this: China has not threatened us," he said.
Mr Keating, who said he spoke for both Labor politicians and grassroots members who felt they could not speak out, said nothing short of a Chinese naval fleet heading for Australia should be considered a threat.
"We wouldn't need submarines to sink an armada, an armada of Chinese boats and troop ships," he told the press club. "We'd just do it with planes and missiles."
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton described Mr Keating's comments as "unhinged".
Speaking to the ABC's 7.30 program, Mr Marles refused to criticise Mr Keating for his opinions but insisted the government was acting in Australia's best interest.
"Whatever Paul Keating says about myself, the Foreign Minister, the Prime Minister – you won't hear a bad word from us about him," Mr Marles said.
"The Hawke-Keating government was the great peacetime reformist, long-term government in our history. It's a government that finished in 1996, and our responsibility is to be governing the country in the national interest in 2023."
Mr Marles also defended Senator Wong against Mr Keating's assessment of her time as foreign minister, arguing she has done a "great deal" to repair international relations in the Pacific region.
"Penny Wong has done more in respect of putting an emphasis on our relations with the Pacific than any foreign minister, within a year – she really is one of the greatest foreign ministers we've had," Mr Marles said.
He also praised Mr Albanese for his presence on the international stage.
"He's actually the person who stabilised our relations with China, but he understands the importance of getting the hard power equation right — that's what we're doing here."
