Nothing to see here, Canada says of Five Eyes alliance despite absence from sub deal

WASHINGTON — Nothing to see here, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted Thursday after the United States, Australia and Britain unveiled a new intelligence-sharing agreement and submarine plan for the Indo-Pacific region — one that’s prompting questions about the future of the Five Eyes alliance.

The Five Eyes — Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. — is the colloquial name of a long-standing multilateral arrangement for keeping security tabs on a part of the world where China’s influence is growing. “We continue to be strong members of the Five Eyes, and continue to share information and security approaches with our partners,” Trudeau said during an election campaign stop in Montreal.

He characterized the new agreement as being mainly about a decision by Australia, increasingly nervous about Chinese ambition in its backyard, to acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, scuttling longstanding negotiations to procure a submarine fleet from France.

“This is a deal for nuclear submarines, which Canada is not currently or any time soon in the market for; Australia is,” Trudeau said.

Canada’s diplomatic response stood in stark contrast to the reaction in France, which — piqued by the U.S. role in abetting Australia’s decision to abandon its original submarine talks — cancelled a gala event in D.C. meant to celebrate the close ties between the two countries.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected Chinese criticism of his country’s new nuclear submarine alliance with the United States and Britain.

China reacted angrily when Biden, Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson used a virtual news conference to announce an alliance that will provide Australia with a fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said it was “highly irresponsible” for the U.S. and Britain to export the nuclear technology.

Morrison said Australia wanted to boost peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.