Quadrilateral Defense Framework in Indo-Pacific

The defense ministers of Australia, Philippines, Japan and the United States announced in their serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas, where Chinese vessels exercise dangerous and destabilizing conducts. They stressed their commitment to further cooperation each other for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This is one of the series of efforts to deal with China’s unilateral advance to the Pacific through building frameworks of countries in the region.

This was the second meeting by those ministers of four countries, since they met in Singapore last June. The joint readoutof the meeting held in Hawaii this time insisted their concern over China’s repeated obstruction of Philippines vessels’ exercise of freedom of navigation, including the disruption of supply lines to Second Thomas Shoal.

They agreed on enhancing their defense cooperation in support of regional security and stability.

 

“The Ministers and Secretaries discussed opportunities to further advance defense cooperation, including through continued maritime cooperation in the South China Sea, enhanced procedures to enable coordination and information sharing arrangements, as well as strengthening capacity building,” noted the joint readout.

 

Japan, Philippines and US had the first top leaders’ meeting in Washington, DC, last month. They issued a joint vision statement that shared “a firm commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, inclusive, and resilient.” The quadrilateral defense ministers meeting is an extended version of those three countries, adding Australia to it.

 

It is likely that those four countries will expand their framework to other nations. The joint vision statement by the three countries expressed unwavering support for centrality and unity of ASEAN and for Pacific Island countries. They also welcomed the efforts for “peaceful and stable, rule based Indo-Pacific” by the frameworks of QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Republic of Korea.

 

In the backdrop of the quadrilateral ministers meeting, Japan, Australia and US had a trilateral meeting. Three ministers reiterated strong opposition against China’s unilateral attempt of changing status quo by force or coercion in the South and East China Seas, emphasizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Their concern was extended to North Korea of its nuclear and missile development.

 

Joe Biden administration of US seeks building of latticework coalitions in Indo-Pacific region. China opposed the joint trilateral statement that it made groundless accusations against China. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida insisted on the importance of including ASEAN in his remarks to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Tensions looks getting high, in spite of their hope for peace and stability.

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