Beijing warns AUKUS submarine project sets a 'dangerous precedent' and threatens non-proliferation

China's government is ramping up its campaign against Australia's push to build nuclear-powered submarines with the United States and the United Kingdom, publishing a new report which declares the project is a grave risk to non-proliferation and warns that Australia may be intent on developing nuclear weapons. Key points: The report warns the submarine deal would set a "dangerous precedent" by allowing nuclear states to transfer weapons-grade nuclear materials to a non-nuclear state It also claims Australia remains intent on acquiring nuclear weapons China has been rapidly expanding its own nuclear weapons arsenal in recent years Two Chinese "think tanks" — the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy — held a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday with a host of state media outlets to launch the report, which is titled: A Dangerous Conspiracy: The Nuclear Proliferation Risk of the Nuclear-powered Submarines Collaboration in the Context of AUKUS. Claims Australia wants nuclear weapons The Chinese government report also makes more-outlandish claims that Australia remains intent on acquiring nuclear weapons, citing the federal government's "obsessive pursuit" of the technology back in the 1950s and 1960s under the Menzies government. "Given the fact that Australia already has a body of nuclear weapons-related knowledge accumulated historically and that it will get into its hands nuclear-capable delivery systems, once the country takes the desperate step to develop nuclear weapons again, the lead time to a nuclear breakthrough will be too short for the international community to respond effectively," the report says. "Australia, the US and the UK will implement the strongest possible non-proliferation standards to maintain the strength and integrity of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime in relation to nuclear-powered submarines," they said.