NEW DELHI: The foreign ministers of the Quad countries on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and pledged closer coordination on regional security in view of concerns over China’s increasingly assertive behaviour in the region. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar joined US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meetings in Manila. While the ministers reviewed preparations for the next leaders’ summit, no decision was announced on its timing.
The discussions focused on the evolving strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific, maritime security and strengthening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which the Quad has consistently described as central to the regional architecture.
After the meeting, Jaishankar said the ministers reviewed recent developments in the region and followed up on decisions taken at the previous Quad meeting in New Delhi. “Glad to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Manila. Reviewed the Indo-Pacific landscape and discussed recent developments. Followed up on the outcomes of the recent New Delhi meeting. Committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific with a recognition of ASEAN centrality,” he said.,
Rubio said the four democracies remained united in their vision for the region. “The United States, India, Australia, and Japan share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” he said, adding, “The Quad remains a priority, and we will meet again later this year.”
A Japanese readout of the meeting said the ministers “expressed that they look forward to the convening of the next Quad Leaders' Summit and Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and concurred on maintaining close coordination within the Quad framework,” although no date for the summit was announced.
The Quad meeting came as Beijing continues to expand its maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and East China Sea, prompting growing concerns among regional countries over freedom of navigation, territorial claims and the rules-based international order. Separately, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called for deeper cooperation between Japan and ASEAN in safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime security.
“The international order based on the rule of law that we have built over many years is facing a range of challenges,” he said during the Japan-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Describing ASEAN as “central” to Japan's vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and "an indispensable partner" in achieving it, he pledged greater cooperation on economic security, including critical mineral supply chains, as well as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and disaster response.
