US secy of state hosts first multilateral meet as Quad ministers gather in DC

In a move sending a strong signal to China, foreign ministers from Quad countries — India, Australia, Japan and the US — in a joint statement have strongly opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio hosted external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Penny Wong from Australia and Japan's Iwaya Takeshi in Washington DC for his first multilateral meeting as the US's top diplomat.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which lasted for about an hour, the ministers reconfirmed the Quad Leadership Summit in India later this year. India was originally to have hosted the 2024 edition of the summit, but then US President Joe Biden was keen to hold the event in Wilmington, US.

"Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains, including the maritime domain, underpin the development and prosperity of the people of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," a joint statement issued by the Quad countries said on Tuesday, 21 January.

The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the US in aid of an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that aims to be inclusive and resilient.

In November 2017, all four countries gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amid China’s growing military presence in this strategic region.

China, which has territorial disputes with many countries in the Indo-Pacific, has been opposing the Quad alliance since its formation.

"We are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains. We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India," the joint statement said.

The Quad ministers also reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a 'free and open Indo-Pacific', where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended, the statement added.

China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and claims sovereignty over all of the former. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have made counter claims.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said the meeting sent a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, Quad would continue to be a force for global good. "Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states.

"Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration," Jaishankar said.