Australia-US pact may spark arms race in Indo-Pacific: Malaysia

Malaysia on Saturday said that Australia's plan to build nuclear-powered submarines under a new pact with the UK and the US could spark a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific region. "Malaysia holds the principle of maintaining ASEAN as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN)," it added. The US will help Australia build eight submarines under the pact.