Quad seeks free & open Indo-Pacific, pushes back against Chinese assertiveness
Foreign ministers from the Quad nations met in Manila to discuss maritime security and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. The group reaffirmed its commitment to a free and open region while addressing concerns regarding Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Why it matters
The meeting highlights the ongoing geopolitical efforts to balance influence in the Indo-Pacific and maintain maritime security against rising regional tensions.
India's policy of "multi-alignment" and strategic autonomy was evident in Manila Wednesday as external affairs minister S Jaishankar met his China counterpart Wang Yi in the Philippines and also joined a meeting of the Quad foreign ministers that had US secretary of state Marco Rubio declaring Quad remained a priority and will meet again later this year. The Quad meeting saw discussions on the situation in East China Sea and South China Sea, with Japan opposing any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion and expressing grave concerns over export restrictions, including on critical minerals. The Quad meeting took place amid escalating China-Philippines tensions over another flare-up in the South China Sea.
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