Quad Ministers Address China’s Influence in South China Sea at Tokyo Summit

Tokyo, July 29 – In response to alarming and dangerous manoeuvres in the South China Sea, the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States expressed their deep worries on Monday. They promised to strengthen maritime security in the area.

The unified statement followed discussions between the “Quad” nations in Tokyo, which were witnessed by American Antony Blinken, Australia’s Penny Wong, India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japan’s Yoko Kamikawa, and India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

While not naming China specifically, the statement made mention of a number of recent incidents involving Chinese and Philippine warships in the South China Sea issue. “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,” the statement read. “We continue to express our serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea,” it said.

In addition to criticizing China, Washington and Tokyo criticized Moscow’s acquisition of ballistic missiles and other materials from North Korea “for use against Ukraine” in addition to Russia’s “growing and aggressive strategic military cooperation” with China. India, which depends heavily on Russian weaponry supply, finds the Quad’s criticism of Moscow awkward.

Given that China has recently undertaken numerous military drills in the region and engaged in numerous naval confrontations with other nations, all four Quad nations have expressed concerns over the current status of the South China Sea and the surrounding areas. China’s relationship with its neighbours is on a bitter note, recently there have been multiple incidents that worked as catalysts to raise tensions in the South China Sea.

Recently, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa during a foreign ministers’ meeting that ASEAN, the Southeast Asian organization, organized in Laos, ahead of this Saturday’s East Asia Summit and the security-focused ASEAN Regional Forum.

Wang told Kamikawa that “relations between China and Japan are currently at a critical stage where they will either retreat or advance.” Tokyo was summoned to establish a correct and objective understanding of China and pursue a positive and rational policy toward China. To know more follow the link- China’s Foreign Minister Warns of Critical Stage in Japan Relations | News India Official

There have been strained relationships for China with most of the neighbouring countries, specifically Taiwan, As Beijing has continued its expansionist approach, China claims Taiwan as one of its territories, while Taipei recognizes itself as a sovereign nation.

On July 11, the Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier, a Type 002 class carrier that is a variant of the Kuznetsov-class carrier, in the Pacific was joined by the warplanes that were spotted flying over an island close to the Taiwanese camp. Using this signal, China has scared off its enemies and neighbours as Shandong moves closer to the Pacific Ocean for a military drill with the Philippines.

According to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry, during its daily report on Chinese military activity over the previous 24 hours, it discovered 66 Chinese military aircraft in the island’s vicinity; 39 of those aircraft went to Taiwan’s southeast and south. To know more follow the link- Taiwan’s Hourglass: China Tightens the Sands of Geopolitical Time | News India Official

During the meeting, Quad ministers committed to strengthen cybersecurity collaboration in order to safeguard vital infrastructure, including as underwater cables, and supply chains. As the Biden administration looks to offset an increasingly assertive China, Blinken and Austin will attend security discussions with another Asian partner, the Philippines, after departing from Tokyo.

These recent chains of events have made three factions in global politics, China-Russia-North Korea, Japan-United States-Taiwan-Philippines and the last one is New Delhi which Criticizes China, but cannot oppose Russian actions openly, as India is a very strong strategic partner with Moscow.

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Mohammad Kaif ZaidiNews Writer

Mohammad Kaif Zaidi is a student of MA Mass Communication and Journalism at Aligarh Muslim University. His background is strongly backed by his previous experience in the vibrant spectrum of mass communication and journalism. He possesses a creative and technical personality with a robust approach towards his work.

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