Officials in London and Washington have revealed that the British government played an early role in facilitating a three-way alliance with the United States and Australia to deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific. This significant agreement was made public shortly after Australia decided to cancel a $66 billion contract for diesel-electric submarines with France, causing anger in Paris and satisfaction in London. Prime Minister Boris Johnson sees this as a major success in his efforts to establish post-Brexit Britain as a key player on the international stage. Since leaving the European Union 18 months ago, Britain has been searching for its place in the world, with the term "Global Britain" being adopted by Brexiteers as a guiding principle, albeit one that appeared more as a marketing strategy rather than a clear foreign policy. The agreement made on Wednesday between the United States, Britain, and Australia to supply submarines to Australia solidified Britain's reputation as a military power with nuclear capabilities and a reliable ally of the United States. This deal also supported British Prime Minister Johnson's efforts to establish a presence in Asia, a move initially seen as a nod to its colonial past. However, Britain has since secured trade agreements with Australia, Japan, and South Korea, and has deployed an aircraft carrier to help monitor China's activities in the South China Sea. According to former British ambassador Kim Darroch, this marks the beginning of a more substantial presence for "Global Britain" in the defense and economic realms in that region. Darroch did note that the specific economic benefits of the deal, such as job creation and financial gains for British industries, still need to be finalized in discussions with the United States. Joining a distant security alliance can be costly and come with certain expectations for Britain, especially as the country is reducing the size of its military and facing financial challenges due to the pandemic. Despite this, being included in the alliance was seen as a positive development for Britain, which had felt overlooked during the recent Afghanistan withdrawal. British officials viewed the alliance as a sign of their ability to adapt in a post-Brexit world, even if it meant sacrificing a relationship with a European neighbor. Australia initially approached Britain for assistance in deploying nuclear-powered submarines, as they believed the diesel models provided in a previous deal with France would not be sufficient in the face of increasing threats from China. Britain has had a long-standing relationship with the United States in terms of nuclear technology since 1958, making it natural and inevitable for the two allies to collaborate. The United States will supply the highly enriched uranium for the submarines' reactors. British and Australian officials aggressively lobbied Washington for this partnership, with Prime Minister Johnson and President Biden discussing it at the Group of 7 meeting in Cornwall, England. Britain had to defend its position against American officials who questioned why Australia couldn't just buy submarines directly from the United States. One of Britain's arguments was that their military protocols closely align with Australia's, making it easier for them to operate submarines with British technology. A Biden administration official stated that the White House never considered excluding Britain from the alliance, with senior research fellow Bates Gill noting that it was primarily a technical decision but could also have been influenced by trustworthiness. The submarine deal was seen as compensation by Prime Minister Johnson for having his views on Afghanistan dismissed by Biden, who officials say wanted withdrawal to be based on conditions on the ground. Despite some tension, Johnson has affirmed that Britain will support Biden on his priorities. Top priority: the rivalry with China. Thomas Wright, director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, stated that China's choices have repercussions and commended the British strategy. Some in Britain may not believe that the advantages outweigh the consequences. Theresa May, Johnson's predecessor as prime minister, cautioned that Britain could be drawn into a conflict with China regarding Taiwan. In 2016, Johnson suggested that exiting the EU would enable Britain to interact more autonomously with China. Before Beijing took action in Hong Kong, which was once under British rule, Britain's stance on China was very similar to that of the United States. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is aiming to enhance Britain's reputation by hosting a successful United Nations climate-change conference in Glasgow, Scotland in November. However, it is unsure how much support he will receive from President Joe Biden. The UK is urging the US to increase its contribution to a $100 billion yearly fund to assist countries in dealing with the effects of climate change. Analysts said that Britain has not yet benefited from having a new foreign secretary, Liz Truss, who was praised for her trade deals in Asia in her previous role. Johnson replaced her predecessor, Dominic Raab, after he faced criticism for vacationing in Crete during the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. Former British ambassador to Washington, Peter Westmacott, acknowledged that Truss has critics but believes she is well positioned to enhance the concept of Global Britain. Despite some positive developments in London, Britain still has significant geopolitical challenges ahead. The submarine deal is expected to strain relations with France further, which are already tense due to disagreements after Brexit regarding fishing rights and migrants. The French government's response to the alliance demonstrated its disapproval of Britain, as it called back its ambassadors to the US and Australia but not to Britain. This was seen as a sign that France sees Britain as a minor player in global politics. Some experts believe France is upset because they feel the US is rewarding Britain when they should be facing consequences for leaving the EU. However, Johnson may also face challenges with Washington regarding Northern Ireland, where he is pushing for changes in trade arrangements post-Brexit. During her visit to London on Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated a warning that Congress would not approve a trade agreement between Britain and the United States if Britain endangered peace in Northern Ireland. Analysts observed that President Biden's casual treatment of Britain on Afghanistan, along with the White House's short notice to France before announcing a security alliance, demonstrated that the United States would prioritize its own interests over trans-Atlantic relationships. Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the US and the Americas program at British research institution Chatham House, noted the disparity in how much Americans were discussing the issue compared to the British, highlighting the unequal nature of the "special relationship."