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This week’s R&D covers the AUKUS partnership.  Announced on September 15, AUKUS is a trilateral security agreement between the United States, Great Britain, and Australia.  The nations pledge to cooperate on defense issues and is seen by experts to be a counter to Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, even though British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British Parliament recently that the partnership is not meant to antagonize China.  The European Union was less than thrilled with the agreement, with France recalling ambassadors to the United States and Australia last week after Australia cancelled plans to purchase French submarines for nuclear models from the United States and Great Britain.