Former Australian PM warns AUKUS deal locks Australia into a US war with China, which it would lose

Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has issued a renewed warning that the AUKUS security pact risks drawing Australia into a future United States conflict with China, a war he believes Australia would inevitably lose. Keating argues that the agreement is integrating Australia too closely with US military objectives, effectively compromising its sovereignty and making it a primary target for Chinese retaliation should a conflict arise, particularly over Taiwan.

Keating, a long-standing critic of AUKUS, asserted that Australia would be left vulnerable after any potential US withdrawal, as the United States would "scuttle itself back to San Diego" after a defeat. He also dismissed the effectiveness of the nuclear-powered submarines Australia is set to acquire through the deal, likening them to "throwing toothpicks at a mountain" against China's military might. These recent comments follow remarks from a US congressman suggesting that Australia's involvement in a Taiwan conflict is assumed by the US military establishment.

The former Prime Minister has consistently advocated for Australia to pursue its security interests within Asia rather than through subservience to the United States. He maintains that Taiwan is not a vital Australian interest and that Australia has no obligation to participate in a US-led military engagement concerning the island.