China accuses Australia of ‘bloc confrontation’ following Trump meeting on critical minerals and AUKUS

Beijing has warned Australia against engaging in “bloc confrontation” after Anthony Albanese struck a $13 billion critical minerals deal with Donald Trump and won Presidential endorsement for the AUKUS submarine partnership.

Following his meeting with Mr Albanese in the White House, the US President acknowledged the role of AUKUS as a deterrent against China’s military rise in the Indo-Pacific.

Asked about President Trump’s declaration that his administration was going “full steam ahead” with the deal, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman repeated Beijing’s longstanding opposition to the defence agreement.

“China has made clear more than once its position on the so-called trilateral security partnership between the US, the UK and Australia designed to advance co-operation on nuclear submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies,” MOFA spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

“We oppose bloc confrontation and anything that increases the risk of nuclear proliferation and exacerbates arms race,” the Chinese government spokesman told reporters in Beijing.

At the White House the Australian Prime Minister and US President also inked a deal guaranteeing each side would pour $1.5 billion ($US1 billion) into priority critical minerals projects within six months.

President Trump said the deal, negotiated over five months, was all about processing critical minerals to break China’s stranglehold on the market.

In its first response to the development, Beijing attempted to cast itself as the responsible supplier of rare earths and critical minerals.

“The global industrial and supply chains came into shape as a result of the choices of the market and businesses,” Mr Guo said on Monday evening.

“Countries with critical mineral resources need to play a positive role in keeping relevant industrial and supply chains safe and stable and to ensure normal trade and economic co-operation,” he added.