AUKUS safe under Trump, says top diplomatic pick

Washington | Marco Rubio, the high-profile senator and president-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, has given the strongest indication yet that the new administration will back the AUKUS military and submarine technology pact between the US, Australia and the UK. Mr Rubio, who was answering questions at his senate confirmation hearing in Congress on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), said that as far as his job was concerned, AUKUS would proceed. What's more, it would act as a "blueprint" for strategic partnerships to counter China's military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region. Loading…