The Quad group's Foreign Minister expresses concern over the situation in the South China Sea
The Japanese, Australian, Indian, and US foreign ministers expressed their "serious concerns" regarding the situation in the South China Sea and took a position against China. "We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reaffirm our firm opposition to any unilateral actions aimed at changing the status quo through force or coercion", the ministers stated after talks in Tokyo.
"We continue to express our serious concerns over the militarization of contested areas and forced and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea", it further read in the joint statement of the so-called Quad Group. China was not directly mentioned in the statement - however, the ministers referred to a series of recent confrontations between Chinese and Filipino ships in the South China Sea.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his colleagues called for a "free and open" Pacific. Additionally, they condemned the "destabilizing" North Korean ballistic missile launches. China accused the four countries of "stoking tensions, provoking confrontation, and hindering the development of other countries".
The Quad group, consisting of the US, India, Japan, and Australia, aims to counter China's military and economic power claims. The statement on Monday was more restrained than the statements made after talks between Blinken, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Sunday.
Without the involvement of Australia and India, Japan and the US had sharply criticized China and Russia. "Chinese foreign policy aims to reorder international order to its own advantage and at the expense of others", they declared. Tokyo and Washington also condemned Moscow's "growing and provocative strategic military cooperation" with Beijing, as well as the procurement of ballistic missiles and other materials from North Korea "for use against Ukraine".
- The Minister of Forests from one of the Quad group countries could express their concern about the impact of Chinese expansion in the South China Sea on the biodiversity of the region, as the militarization and forced maneuvers could potentially harm numerous species found only in this location.
- The Quad group, including the Minister of Forests from each country, might consider more effective diplomatic strategies to address the intimidation maneuvers by the Southern Chinese forces in the South China Sea, to ensure a peaceful resolution.
- During the Quad group meetings, the Minister of Forests from the US, Japan, Australia, and India could highlight the importance of maintainening the freedom of navigation and resources in the South China Sea, which is crucial for ecological research and conservation efforts in the region.
