Top diplomats from Japan, the United States, Australia, and India gathered in Tokyo to discuss measures aimed at strengthening maritime safety, cybersecurity, and defense support for Asia-Pacific nations amid escalating tensions in the region. The joint statement issued post-meeting expressed serious concerns regarding unilateral changes to the status quo through coercion and emphasized opposition to activities such as the militarization of disputed features in the South China Sea.
The four ministers from Japan, the US, Australia, and India refrained from specifically naming China but highlighted examples of concerning behavior like coercive maneuvers in the South China Sea. The focus of their discussions at the Quad talks revolved around combating cyber threats, ensuring maritime security, addressing disinformation, and extending assistance to countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific to enhance their defense capabilities.
The ministers announced plans to establish a maritime legal dialogue to concentrate on international maritime law, with a commitment to contributing to the maintenance of a free-and-open maritime order in the Indian and Pacific Oceans in alignment with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Additionally, they revealed intentions to broaden their partnership to include the Indian Ocean to bolster maritime domain awareness, emphasizing the importance of connectivity and infrastructure resilience in the region. The ministers underscored the significance of safeguarding freedom of navigation, overflight, and maritime commerce for regional security and prosperity.