Australian PM says he made clear to France possibility of scrapping submarine deal
The Hindu
Strained Australia-French ties come as the United States and its allies seek additional support in the Asia and the Pacific amid concern about the rising influence of a more assertive China
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on September 17 said that he had raised the possibility that Australia might scrap a 2016 submarine deal with a French company in talks with the French President in June, rejecting French criticism that it had not been warned.
Australia on September 16 said it would scrap the $40 billion deal with France's Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines and would instead build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with U.S. and British technology after striking a .
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the decision as a stab in the back.