THE communist parties of Australia, Britain and the United States issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning the three countries’ “aggressive and destabilising” trilateral security pact known as Aukus.

The agreement, signed last month, has triggered widespread condemnation along with fears of a new arms race and a threat to regional stability.

Under Aukus, which is widely seen as part of a new cold war on China, Australia is allowed to host US troops, warships and planes and will receive US and British help to obtain nuclear-powered submarines.

“In the face of declining US economic power, Aukus aims to tie Australia even more tightly to US imperialism’s plans to contain and control the People’s Republic of China and to consolidate Australia as a US launching pad for coercion and even war,” the statement said.

“The governments of our three countries rob jobs, education, the environment, the vital health budget, welfare and much more to pay for unnecessary war preparations that benefit only the armaments corporations,” it continued.

The three communist parties reiterated their opposition to Washington’s hostile policy towards China and called for “work that creates benefits for the people of the world, not work that produces more efficient people-killing machines.”