Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has sharply criticized the AUKUS pact, a military alliance between Australia, the UK, and the US, arguing that it compromises Australia's sovereignty and makes it a target for China. Keating claims that the increased US military presence under AUKUS effectively turns Australia into a "51st state" of the US, stripping it of its strategic autonomy. He warns that by aligning closely with the US, which is embroiled in tensions with China over Taiwan, Australia is endangering itself and provoking unnecessary risks. Keating believes that without the aggressive stance of the US, Australia would be safer and less entangled in international disputes.

Keating, who was Australia’s Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996, recently expressed his worries in an interview. He doubts that Australia benefits from being part of AUKUS and thinks it may actually be giving up its right to make its own decisions about foreign and defense policies. He believes th...