AUKUS Forcing France, Europe to Stop Fence-Sitting on Beijing: Diplomacy Expert

Australia to have the capability to sink Chinese naval ships in 72 hours

France's President Emmanuel Macron meets French carmakers at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on July 12, 2021. Michel Euler/AP Photo

According to one diplomacy expert, France’s displeasure at the AUKUS trilateral pact is not about a cancelled $90 billion submarine project.

Instead, the AUKUS agreement represents a significant step-up in countering Beijing, which may disrupt French and European efforts to maintain its “strategic autonomy” toward the Chinese Communist regime.