Quad leaders concerned over intimidating manoeuvres in South China Sea
File photo of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Quad leaders’ summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida gathered for the fourth physical Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday. They expressed serious concerns over the coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea.
In the joint statement, the leaders of the US, India, Australia and Japan oppose efforts to disrupt offshore resource exploitation by other countries and stress that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.
“We are deeply concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We continue to express our grave concerns about the militarization of disputed areas and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea. We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including the increased use of dangerous maneuvers. We also oppose attempts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities. We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS,” the Quad Wilmington Declaration reads.
The Leaders stressed their firm belief that international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, together with the maintenance of peace, safety, security and stability in the maritime domain, must be given the highest priority.
“We stress the importance of compliance with international law, in particular as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges that jeopardize the global order based on maritime rules, including with regard to maritime claims,” the statement said.
“We reiterate the universal and uniform nature of UNCLOS and affirm that UNCLOS establishes the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be conducted. We stress that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is an important milestone and provides the basis for the peaceful resolution of disputes between the parties,” it further added.
The Quad leaders added that they are committed to renewing their commitment to working with Pacific island nations to achieve shared ambitions and address common challenges.
“We remain committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. We fully support IORA as the premier forum of the Indian Ocean Region to address the challenges of the region. We acknowledge India’s leadership in finalizing the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and express our support for its implementation. We thank Sri Lanka for its continued leadership as IORA Chair this year and look forward to India assuming the IORA Chair in 2025,” the statement said.
The joint statement of the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting of July 29 this year stated that the bloc’s countries are jointly pursuing a positive and practical agenda to support the sustainable development, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, thereby meeting the needs of the region.
With China pressuring Taiwan following Lai Ching-te’s presidential election victory on the self-ruled island and tensions between China and the Philippines, Quad foreign ministers have previously said they are “seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas” and reiterated their “strong opposition to any unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo through force or coercion.”
Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and is pushing for eventual reunification, by force if necessary.
While hosting a quadrilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday, President Biden also announced a series of initiatives aimed at having a truly positive impact on the Indo-Pacific, including delivering new maritime technologies to Quad partners.
The sixth edition of the Quad Leaders’ Summit is a farewell summit for both US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before they leave office.
Quad is a diplomatic partnership between four countries: Australia, India, Japan and the United States. US President Joe Biden is hosting the fourth in-person and sixth overall Quad Leaders’ Summit in Delaware.
The first Quad Leaders Summit was held virtually in 2021. The second Quad Leaders’ Summit (first in-person) was held in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2021. The third Quad Leaders’ Summit was held virtually on March 3, 2022. The fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on May 24, 2022.
The fifth Quad Leaders’ Summit (the third physical summit) was held in Hiroshima, Japan on May 20, 2023.
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First publication: Sep 22, 2024 | 09:07 AM IST