Quad takes aim at China, vows stronger ties across Indo-Pacific

Top diplomats from Australia, India, Japan and the US vowed to strengthen maritime cooperation across the Indo-Pacific on July 29, as they doubled down on their "strong opposition" to intimidating and dangerous unilateral actions in international waters.

- Walter Sim

Beijing was clearly the elephant in the room at the eighth Quad foreign ministers' meeting, even if China was not explicitly named in the joint statement after the meeting on July 29.

"We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a joint statement after their meeting.

The Quad foreign ministers drew particular attention to "the militarisation of disputed features" and the "dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, the increasing use of various kinds of dangerous manoeuvres, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities"

The four foreign ministers pledged to enhance an awareness of international maritime legal norms in the areas that cover the Pacific Islands to Asean and across the Indian Ocean towards the eastern African coast.

The meeting followed an announcement on July 28 that the US will revamp its military command in Japan with a new "joint force headquarters" that will facilitate deeper interoperability with Japan's Self-Defence Forces.

Mr Blinken is on an 11-day trip to Asia to shore up relationships with key partners and allies.

Asked about the statement at a regular news briefing on July 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the Quad was "artificially creating tensions, inciting antagonism and confrontation, and curbing the development of other countries".