Australia Submarine Deal

China warned Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States and said that the AUKUS grouping is treading a "path of error and danger" after they unveiled a nuclear-powered submarines deal.

China warned on Tuesday that Australia, Britain and the United States were treading a "path of error and danger" after they unveiled a nuclear-powered submarines deal.

Australia announced on Monday it would buy up to five US nuclear-powered submarines, under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China.

US President Joe Biden, aware of Chinese concerns about a nuclearpowered submarine deal with Australia and Britain, said the agreement was more about securing stability.

After 18 months of negotiations, it is anticipated that Australia will reveal plans to obtain eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Australia formally embarked Monday on a hotly-contested programme to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines in a new defence alliance with Britain and the United States.

The Australia-France row over the collapse of a submarine deal reached an "unprecedented new low" when a text message from the French president to Australia's leader was leaked, France's ambassador to Canberra said Wednesday.

France's ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault, said on Wednesday that Australia acted with deceit when it abruptly cancelled a multi-billion deal with Paris to build a fleet of submarines.

France accused Australia of using "very inelegant methods" after a text message sent by President Emmanuel Macron to Australian leader Scott Morrison was leaked in an apparent bid to imply that he knew about collapse of a major submarine deal.

Australian media on Tuesday published messages between French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as Canberra seeks to push back against allegations it lied to Paris about a multibillion-dollar submarine contract.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said Australia's Prime Minister outright lied to him over a cancelled submarine deal, deepening an already fraught diplomatic crisis.

US President Joe Biden told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Friday that his country was "clumsy" in securing a submarines deal with Australia behind France's back.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison by telephone on Thursday for the first time since the diplomatic crisis over a scrapped submarine deal last month, the Elysee Palace said.

France announced Wednesday it will return its ambassador to Australia, ending a weeks-long diplomatic protest over Canberra's decision to scrap a submarine contract.

French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne has returned to Washington after almost two weeks of absence amid the dispute between two countries over the US submarine contract with Australia, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

China warned Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States and said that the AUKUS grouping is treading a "path of error and danger" after they unveiled a nuclear-powered submarines deal.

China warned on Tuesday that Australia, Britain and the United States were treading a "path of error and danger" after they unveiled a nuclear-powered submarines deal.

Australia announced on Monday it would buy up to five US nuclear-powered submarines, under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China.

US President Joe Biden, aware of Chinese concerns about a nuclearpowered submarine deal with Australia and Britain, said the agreement was more about securing stability.

After 18 months of negotiations, it is anticipated that Australia will reveal plans to obtain eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Australia formally embarked Monday on a hotly-contested programme to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines in a new defence alliance with Britain and the United States.

The Australia-France row over the collapse of a submarine deal reached an "unprecedented new low" when a text message from the French president to Australia's leader was leaked, France's ambassador to Canberra said Wednesday.

France's ambassador to Australia, Jean-Pierre Thebault, said on Wednesday that Australia acted with deceit when it abruptly cancelled a multi-billion deal with Paris to build a fleet of submarines.

France accused Australia of using "very inelegant methods" after a text message sent by President Emmanuel Macron to Australian leader Scott Morrison was leaked in an apparent bid to imply that he knew about collapse of a major submarine deal.

Australian media on Tuesday published messages between French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as Canberra seeks to push back against allegations it lied to Paris about a multibillion-dollar submarine contract.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said Australia's Prime Minister outright lied to him over a cancelled submarine deal, deepening an already fraught diplomatic crisis.

US President Joe Biden told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Friday that his country was "clumsy" in securing a submarines deal with Australia behind France's back.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison by telephone on Thursday for the first time since the diplomatic crisis over a scrapped submarine deal last month, the Elysee Palace said.

France announced Wednesday it will return its ambassador to Australia, ending a weeks-long diplomatic protest over Canberra's decision to scrap a submarine contract.

French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne has returned to Washington after almost two weeks of absence amid the dispute between two countries over the US submarine contract with Australia, a Sputnik correspondent reported.