China's neighbours worry Australia sub deal will disrupt region

Indonesian president Joko Widodo. Indonesia was the first country in the region to criticise AUKUS, saying it was "deeply concerned over the continuing arms race and power projection in the region.” - Starpic

BEIJING (Bloomberg): France isn’t the only country upset about a new security pact between the US, UK and Australia: Some South-East Asian nations are also worried the partnership could provoke China and spur a regional arms race.

The so-called AUKUS partnership, which will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, prompted China last week to warn of an arms race in a region riven by maritime territorial disputes. Since then, two key members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- Indonesia and Malaysia -- have voiced similar concerns.