The Chinese Embassy in Britain said the United States , Britain and Australia are forging ahead with cooperation on nuclear submarines despite widespread skepticism about it, which creates proliferation risks and undermines the international nonproliferation regime.

In response to a question regarding the "Ocus" tripartite cooperation agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on nuclear submarines, the embassy said on Friday that such cooperation will lead to the re-emergence of the Cold War mentality, launch a new round of arms race and further stir up regional security and military confrontation, exposing Regional peace, stability and prosperity seriously endangered.

The embassy indicated in a press release that the Asia-Pacific region is now the most dynamic and fastest growing region in the world, which did not happen easily, adding that "Occus cooperation is designed to serve the US geopolitical agenda to bring group politics and confront the Cold War to the Asia-Pacific region with military deterrence.

It aims to create a replica of NATO in the Asia-Pacific region, which is contrary to peace and stability in the region."

It stated that the cooperation of "Ocus" for nuclear submarines marks the first time that nuclear-weapon states have transferred marine nuclear propulsion reactors and weapons-grade highly enriched uranium to a non-nuclear-weapon country.

The embassy said that since the current IAEA safeguards system is unable to ensure effective safeguards, such cooperation poses serious risks to nuclear proliferation, seriously threatens the agency's authority, and deals a blow to the agency's safeguards system.

"If the three countries are determined to advance cooperation, other countries are likely to follow suit, eventually leading to the collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime," she added.

The embassy stated that China urges the three countries to heed the call of the international community and countries in the region, renounce the outdated and sterile Cold War mentality and narrow geopolitical mentality, earnestly fulfill their international obligations and do more things conducive to peace, stability, unity and development in the region.

And she indicated that "this serves the basic and long-term interests of the countries of the region as well as the three countries themselves," adding that "the United Kingdom is not a country in the region and it is not wise to burden itself with burdens beyond its capacity."