Published:
Sep 15, 2024 08:00 GMT
“I will respectfully wait until they have made their decision, but I am very optimistic,” the country’s defense minister said.
Canada intends to join the AUKUS military strategic alliance, created by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in 2021 to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, officials said on Friday. local mediaquoting Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair.
“There have been important discussions on the basis of a specific project in which other nations, including Japan and ourselves, could participate,” he said during an interview in Tokyo, where he met his Japanese counterpart, Minoru Kihara.
He also indicated that Ottawa wants to join the coalition to collaborate in new military technologiesthe use of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, although he declined to reveal further details about the discussions.
“I will wait respectfully until they have made their decision, but I am very optimistic,” added Blair, who said Ottawa’s defence budget would increase by 27% compared to this year and military spending would triple in the next three or four years.
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