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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when ...
Read more

Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, ...
Read more

Not A Royal Wedding

The bride called her husband an indispensable existence and their marriage was necessary choice to protect their mind. The groom insisted on his life as only once and his right to be with his loved one. Her father wanted his daughter’s marriage to be celebrated by the people. The people were not sure whether the family was happy as a whole. Is this the traditional Japanese social system that makes no one happy? Mako Komuro, as known as Princess Mako during her life in one of the royal family Akishino, held on Tuesday a press conference with her husband Kei Komuro, right after submitting marriage report to local government. It was something different from ordinary Q&A session, because Mako was afraid of her mental uneasiness brought by some questions not based on truth. So, the event was actually one-sided speech to the reporters. Mako emphasized that the Kei’s decision of studying abroad five years ago had not been his original idea, but a result of her request to establish an over...
Read more