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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspondent

Chinese official asks if Australia’s Aukus nuclear submarines intended for ‘sightseeing’

AUKUS Australia United States Penny Wong United Kingdom International Atomic Energy Agency Anthony Albanese Rafael Grossi China DFAT
Surfaced submarine
The US navy’s Virginia class submarine USS North Dakota. An official from China’s embassy in Canberra was heard to ask if Australia’s own planned nuclear submarines were to be built for ‘sightseeing’. Photograph: Us Navy/Reuters

A Chinese embassy official asked Australian officials during an Aukus briefing whether the nuclear-powered submarines were intended for “sightseeing”, according to multiple sources.

Guardian Australia understands several others in the room found the intervention curious, because the Australian government has made no secret of the fact the nuclear-powered submarines are to be used by the Royal Australian Navy.

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