Washington (AFP)

The United States, which is seeking to strengthen its alliances with China in all directions, announced Wednesday with Australia and the United Kingdom a broad security partnership in the Indo-Pacific zone, including the delivery of submarines nuclear powered plant in Canberra.

Immediate consequence of this spectacular announcement: Australia broke a gigantic contract with France for the delivery of conventional submarines, angering Paris.

"The first major initiative of (this new pact called) + AUKUS + will be to deliver a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, appearing on video conference, along with his British counterpart. Boris Johnson, at an event chaired by Joe Biden at the White House.

France, which sees a contract of 90 billion Australian dollars (56 billion euros) escape its naval industry, immediately blasted a "regrettable decision" and "contrary to the letter and the spirit of the cooperation which prevailed between France and Australia ", according to a joint statement from the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

And it is not sure that Paris consoles itself with the conciliatory remarks of Joe Biden, who assured Wednesday that the United States wanted "to work closely with France" in this very strategic zone.

Paris "is a key partner" of the United States, he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron and then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visit an Australian submarine in Sydney, May 2, 2018 BRENDAN ESPOSITO POOL / AFP / Archives

"The UK, Australia and the US are going to be linked even more closely, which reflects the level of trust between us and the depth of our friendship," said Boris Johnson, who is enjoying diplomatic success here. in its strategy to avoid international isolation after Brexit.

- Submarines -

"Based on our shared history of maritime democracies, we are committed to a common ambition to support Australia in the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines," the three partners said in a joint statement, which states that it is indeed a question of propulsion, and not of armament.

"The only country with which the United States has ever shared this type of nuclear propulsion technology is Great Britain" from 1958, a senior White House official said earlier.

"This is a fundamental, fundamental decision. It will bind Australia, the United States and Great Britain for generations."

US President Joe Bide participates in a videoconference with Australian Prime Ministers Scott Morrisson and British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson on September 15, 2021 at the White House Brendan Smialowski AFP

According to this senior official, the "AUKUS" pact also provides for collaboration between the three countries in cyber defense, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

New Zealand, which has banned all nuclear-powered ships from its waters since 1985, has announced that future submarines from its neighbor and Australian ally will not be welcome at home.

China was not mentioned in the joint communiqué of the Australian, American and British leaders, which referred to "peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region".

But there is no doubt that the new alliance is primarily aimed at addressing Beijing's regional ambitions.

The head of the Australian diplomat Marise Payne and her American counterpart Antony Blinken, September 15, 2021 in Washington Nicholas Kamm POOL / AFP / Archives

Joe Biden has been repeating since his election that he intends to confront China, like his predecessor Donald Trump, but in a very different way, without locking himself in a face-to-face meeting.

On Wednesday, he said he wanted to "invest in our greatest source of strength, our alliances" and want to "update them to better face the threats of today and tomorrow".

- The "contract of the century" for France torpedoed -

The American president also brings together on September 24 in Washington the Prime Ministers of Australia, India and Japan to relaunch a diplomatic format, the "Quad", which had been stagnant for several years.

As for Mr. Morrisson, he said Thursday, after the announcement of the Aukus pact, that he was launching an "open invitation" to dialogue with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But Wednesday's announcement, despite Joe Biden's language precautions, may well put a chill on another alliance, with France, since it torpedoed what was sometimes called "the contract of the century. "for the French defense industry.

French President Emmanuel Macron (l) receives Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 15, 2021 Thomas SAMSON AFP / Archives

The French Naval Group was selected in 2016 by Canberra to supply 12 conventional (non-nuclear) propulsion submarines derived from future French Barracuda nuclear submarines.

Worth A $ 50 billion (€ 31 billion) at signature, the value of this contract is currently estimated at A $ 90 billion due to cost overruns and currency effects.

"The decision we have taken not to continue with the Attack class submarines and to take another path is not a change of mind, it is a change of need," the Prime Minister said on Thursday. Australian.

© 2021 AFP