Quad reaffirms commitment to free Indo-Pacific, says 'No country should dominate other'

The Quad members met in Tokyo/ X

The Quad, which includes India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, issued a clear message to China on Monday by reaffirming their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Foreign ministers met in Tokyo to voice their opposition to any form of coercion or domination in the region.

In a joint statement, the ministers emphasised the significance of sustaining a rules-based international order that upholds human rights, democratic principles, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Without addressing China specifically, they expressed grave concerns about the situation in the East and South China Seas, denouncing any unilateral acts aimed at changing the status quo by force or coercion.

The meeting was attended by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

The ministers, in their statement, said, "All countries have a role in contributing to regional peace, stability, and prosperity while seeking a region in which no country dominates and no country is dominated, competition is managed responsibly, and each country is free from coercion in all its forms and can exercise its agency to determine its own future."

The leaders added, "We reaffirm the Quad's steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive and resilient, and are united in our commitment to upholding the free and open rules-based international order, with its strong support for the principle of freedom, human rights, the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes."

The Quad emphasised the importance of all countries contributing to regional peace, stability, and development while remaining free of coercion. The group also pledged to work towards a flourishing Indo-Pacific despite increased Chinese military activity in the region.

To confront challenges to the marine rules-based system, the ministers emphasised the need to adhere to international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. They decried the militarisation of disputed areas, as well as risky manoeuvres by coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea.

Speaking about the Chinese manoeuvres, the Quad leaders said, "We continue to express our serious concern about the militarisation of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea. We also express our serious concern about 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."

Furthermore, the Quad strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism, especially cross-border terrorism, and urged swift action against all UN-designated terrorist groups, including Al-Qa'ida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The ministers urged all countries to prevent their territories from being utilised for terrorist activities and to bring terrorist attackers to justice.

The Quad's declaration emphasises their common stance against coercive actions, as well as their commitment to a secure, free, and open Indo-Pacific area.

"We are committed to working together to promote accountability for the perpetrators of terrorist attacks and support implementation including through domestic designations of UN Security Council resolutions as they pertain to sanctions. We reiterate the call for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist groups including Al-Qa'ida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and their proxy groups," the Quad ministers said.