BEIJING, March 9. /TASS/. The AUKUS (Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States) military pact poses the threat of the nuclear weapons proliferation, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning told a briefing on Thursday.

"China believes that cooperation between the three countries [Australia, Great Britain and the United States] poses a serious risk of the spread of nuclear weapons, exerts influence on the international system of nuclear non-proliferation and encourages an arms race," the diplomat pointed out.

The Chinese diplomat called on Australia, Canada and the United States to give up "the cold war mentality" and take more efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Australia announced the construction of its own nuclear-powered fleet in September 2021 immediately after the AUKUS pact was formed. Canberra later announced plans to acquire two US-made Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to replace its outdated Collins-class diesel-electric subs whose service life expires at the end of the decade.

As the Australian government asserts, this move will help the country start the modernization of its submarine fleet before 2038, when the first nuclear-powered submarine built within the framework of the AUKUS pact is due to enter service, and build up the military potential required to contain China’s growing activity in the Indo-Pacific region.