US diplomatic chief Antony Blinken (right) and his counterparts from the “Quad”
The foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, meeting in Tokyo, expressed their « deep concern » on Monday about the situation in the South China Sea, implicitly referring to Beijing.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the three other foreign ministers from the Quad countries also called in a joint statement for a « free and open » Asia-Pacific region.
Without directly naming China, the statement refers to a series of confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed area of the South China Sea.
Militarization of Disputed Territories
« We are deeply concerned about the situation in the South China Sea and reiterate our firm opposition to any unilateral action aimed at altering the status quo through force or coercion, » the statement emphasizes.
« We continue to express our serious concern over the militarization of disputed territories and the coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea, » the document adds. The Quad also condemned North Korea’s « destabilizing » missile launches.
« Imaginary Enemies »
For its part, Beijing on Monday called on the United States and Japan to « immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and cease inventing imaginary enemies, » according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Mr. Blinken is on a diplomatic tour of the Asia-Pacific region aimed at strengthening U.S. alliances and partnerships in the region in the face of China’s growing influence and its deepening ties with Russia.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and her Indian and Australian counterparts, S. Jaishankar and Penny Wong, were also participating in the Quad discussions in Tokyo.
Support for the Philippines
However, their statement was more moderate than the communiqué issued during high-level defense talks that took place the day before between Mr. Blinken, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and their Japanese counterparts.
These officials had launched sharp verbal attacks the day before against China and Russia, which were also not directly named in the Quad statement. Sunday’s communiqué criticized Moscow’s « growing and provocative strategic military cooperation » with China and condemned Beijing’s alleged support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
Any criticism of Moscow is viewed unfavorably by India, which traditionally maintains friendly ties with Russia and relies heavily on its arms supplies. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in early July.
The ministers also committed to enhancing Manila’s cybersecurity capabilities and assisting the Palau archipelago in building communication network infrastructure.
The Philippines, where Messrs. Blinken and Austin are set to visit, is engaged in a long-standing territorial dispute with Beijing over certain parts of the South China Sea, a strategic maritime route through which billions of dollars in trade pass each year.
« Safer and More Open »
In recent months, an isolated outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal has been at the center of confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels. « We are charting a path towards a safer and more open Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean by strengthening maritime security and domain awareness, » Mr. Blinken assured reporters following Monday’s meeting.
Ms. Kamikawa stated that the Quad is determined to « cooperate for the coexistence and co-prosperity of the international community. »
Source: lémanbleu
