Quad leaders attend a China centric meeting, press for free Indo-Pacific

By Sardar Hayaat MUHAMMED Khan Mandokhel 181
China Quad
Quad leaders attend a China centric meeting, press for free Indo-Pacific
  • Lijian Zhao rejects Quad leaders propaganda against China, says: “diplomacy of lies and smears are not constructive at all”.

WASHINGTON (The HQ News), Sept 24 – Quad a group of four countries: United States, Japan, India and Australia on Friday at their first in-person country leaders’ summit vowed to pursue a free and open Indo-Pacific region “undaunted by coercion”.

The two-hour meeting at the White House jointly headed by U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a united front amid shared concerns about China.

After the summit they issued a joint statement: “ We stand for the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values, and territorial integrity of states”.

Though China’s name was not mentioned in the public remarks by Quad leaders or in the joint statement and a factsheet issued afterwards, but the target was clearly China as per analysts who understand that the Quad’s main agenda is to curtail the increasing influence of China in the world.

They also voiced support for small island states, particularly those in the Pacific, in order to enhance their economic and environmental resilience.

Quad also urged North Korea to engage in diplomacy over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, which Pyongyang has refused to do unless international sanctions are dropped.

On the humanitarian front Quad aimed to take steps to provide vaccines worldwide.

Indian plan to resume exports of vaccines (8 Million by the end of October) was welcomed by Quad members.

Earlier Quad’s plan to supply a billion COVID-19 shots across Asia by the end of 2022 was stalled after India, the world’s largest vaccine producer, banned exports in April amid a massive COVID outbreak at home.

The Quad announced several new pacts, including one to bolster supply chain security for semiconductors and to combat illegal fishing and boost maritime domain awareness.

It also rolled out a 5G partnership and plans to track climate change.

“Acknowledging the role of governments in fostering an enabling environment for 5G diversification, we will work together to facilitate public-private cooperation and demonstrate in 2022 the scalability and cyber security of open, standards-based technology,” the leaders said.

The meeting came just over a week after the United States, Britain and Australia announced an AUKUS security pact that will provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, a move roundly denounced by Beijing.

In a briefing on Friday the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman & DDG, Information Department Mr. Lijian Zhao commented on Quad: “A closed, exclusive clique targeting other countries runs counter to the trend of the times and the aspirations of regional countries,”

“It will find no support and is doomed to fail.”

Lijian Zhao commenting on the Quad leader’s meeting also stressed that “diplomacy of lies and smears are not constructive at all”.

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