A top U.S. arms control official expressed confidence on Tuesday that the country is likely to meet a new deadline to finalize trade exemptions for the AUKUS defense project with Australia and Britain. AUKUS, established in 2021 to address concerns about China's growing power, involves Australia acquiring nuclear-powered attack submarines and deepening defense cooperation. The sharing of technology under AUKUS is subject to strict U.S. International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Although a 120-day deadline to qualify Australia and Britain for exemptions passed without certification, the State Department expects to finalize the exemptions after an additional 120 days.
