Quad Convenes against China’s Advance

The foreign ministers of four major countries in Indo-Pacific region, as known as the Quad, had a meeting in Tokyo and delivered a joint statement which indicated concern on advance of China. When Japan or its like-minded countries refers to opposition to “any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” it means opposition to China’s advance, even if it does not name it. They reaffirmed their commitment to free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Quad is a strategic dialogue of Japan, the United States, Australia and India. It is known as established with an initiative of the prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, in 2006. The Quad convened a meeting in the level of senior officials in 2017, followed by foreign ministers meeting in 2019 and summit meeting in 2021. Recognizing necessity to deal with China’s authoritative activities, the Quad accumulated not only meetings but joint military exercises.

 

The meeting in Tokyo was the ninth meeting by foreign ministers. Taking opportunity of Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (2+2), the ministers of four countries reconfirmed their commitment to international order based on shared values of freedom, human rights, rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Without naming the countries, the agenda included not only China’s advance in Indo-Pacific region but Russian aggression to Ukraine.

 

The joint statement emphasized importance of adherence to international law, namely the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to discourage China’s unilateral development in the islands, of which Philippines claims its possession. Referring to the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, which recognized China’s reclamation of lands within “nine dash line” was unlawful, the joint statement stressed importance of freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law.

 

The accusation of Russian aggression was indirect expression without using the word of “Russia”. “We express our deepest concern over the war raging in Ukraine,” says the statement, with the notion that “the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapon is unacceptable.” It made a clear contrast with their denouncement against North Korea of its launches of ballistic missiles and pursuit of nuclear weapons.

 

To keep India within the quadrilateral framework, the joint statement touched on their commitment to the development in the global south. The joint statement noted expansion of Quad Infrastructure Fellowships in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. As India maintains its own relationship with Russia or China, keeping India on the side of Western democracy is the key to success for the Quad.