China has slammed a historic security pact between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, calling it "very foolish" and "narrow-minded."
For the first time, the United States and the United Kingdom will provide Australia with the capability to build nuclear-powered submarines.
It is commonly perceived as an attempt to challenge China's influence in the disputed South China Sea.
For years, the region has been a flashpoint, and tensions remain high.
According to Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, the alliance risks "severely harming regional peace... and increasing the weapons race."
He slammed "the outmoded Cold War... attitude" and warned that the three countries were "harming their own interests."
Similar editorials were published in Chinese official media condemning the accord, with one in the Global Times daily claiming that Australia has now "converted itself into a foe of China."
For the first time in 60 years, the United States is exchanging submarine technology with the United Kingdom.
It means that Australia will be able to construct nuclear-powered submarines that are faster and more difficult to detect than conventionally powered boats. They can stay submerged for months and fire longer-range missiles, though Australia maintains it has no plans to equip them with nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison held a joint virtual press conference under the moniker Aukus.
While China was not specifically named, the three presidents made several references to regional security issues, which they said had "increased dramatically."
"This is a historic opportunity for the three nations, together with like-minded allies and partners, to safeguard shared values and promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," the three nations said in a joint statement.
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