Why Biden Is Taking The Rare Step Of Sharing Nuclear Submarine Tech With Australia

Enlarge this image

The move to share U.S. nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia comes as President Biden has worked to focus his foreign policy on the threat that China poses.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Politics
Biden And Xi Jinping Speak For The 1st Time In Months Amid Fraying U.S.-China Ties

The Biden administration is working to move past the 20-year war in Afghanistan and the chaotic U.S. exit from Kabul. Biden has put countering China at the center of his economic and national security efforts, describing it as the biggest challenge of this era.

Australia’s prime minister will visit next week

Biden is set to meet in person at the White House next week with the leaders of India, Japan and Australia — what’s known as the «Quad.»

He invited leaders of Japan and South Korea as the first two foreign leaders to visit the White House in person earlier this year. And his first foreign trip in June to the Group of Seven and NATO was also focused on the economic and security threats posed by China.

For only the second time since taking office, Biden spoke last week to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He did not discuss the new security partnership «in any specific terms,» the senior U.S. official said, but emphasized to Xi that the United States planned to play a strong role in the region.

• China
• Australia