An Exploration of the AUKUS Trilateral Partnership

On September 15, 2021, the US, UK, and Australia launched the Trilateral Security Partnership (AUKUS) in reaction to China’s increasing influence in the Indo-Pacific area. In reaction to China’s growth, this “small multilateral framework” based on “shared values” seeks to bolster US hegemony in the area by boosting military capability projection in the Indo-Pacific region. It is an example of the international nuclear non-proliferation system returning, which weakens it, causes disagreements among ASEAN nations, and upsets the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific area, all of which have a detrimental effect on the regional security situation. However, there are some fragile ties between the US and its allies, and the US-created AUKUS alliance’s prospects are dim given the lengthy and unpredictable time it takes for nuclear submarine cooperation to take hold.