By Angus Grigg
 

Superpowers locked in a nuclear arms race, it's a very cold war concept that was supposed to have ended in 1991. In reality, it simply lay dormant.
 

As we explore in tonight's Four Corners, Trading Fire, the nuclear arms race is brewing again, but this time there’s a third player. It’s no longer just the US and Russia, but also China. That makes arms control all the more complex at a time when the old disarmament regime is ending.
 

To add another layer of complexity, Australia is supplying China with one little-known mineral vital for the nuclear fuel cycle. It's called zirconium and it's essential for nuclear-powered submarines, aircraft carriers and vital for any country wanting to develop a weapons program.
 

Australia is the world largest producer and China our biggest buyer. At a time when we're also spending billions arming ourselves for a potential conflict with China, there's a very large contradiction between our trade policy and security posture.
 

I hope you can tune in.
 

Watch Four Corners: Trading Fire, tonight from 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.