New Delhi [India], March 3 (ANI): In a transfer to counter China’s growing assertiveness within the Indo-Pacific area, Quad members (Australia, India, Japan and the US) on Friday dedicated to supporting Pacific Island international locations.
“We are committed to supporting Pacific Island countries in line with the objectives of the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, guided by Pacific priorities of climate change, resilient infrastructure and maritime security,” learn Quad leaders joint assertion.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong right now attended the Quad Foreign Ministers Meet, in Delhi on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue, 2023.
“We support regional institutions in the Pacific and are also further strengthening our cooperation with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), to address the region’s most pressing and important challenges. We welcome India’s leadership in finalising the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” added the assertion.
In current occasions there was a shifting of purpose posts by main world powers from different areas of battle to the Indian and Pacific Ocean. This has largely been attributable to Chinese belligerence within the South China Sea by hegemonizing its intention over your entire seawater defying the laid down UN conventions and worldwide maritime legal guidelines.
Recognising that peace and safety within the maritime area underpins the event and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific, the Quad grouping of nations comprising of US, Japan, Australia and India issued a joint assertion opposing any unilateral actions that search to vary the established order or enhance tensions within the space.
It additionally reaffirmed the Quad’s steadfast dedication to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive and resilient.
“Our meeting today reaffirms the Quad’s steadfast commitment to supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive and resilient. We strongly support the principles of freedom, rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force and freedom of navigation and overflight, and oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, all of which are essential to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” learn the assertion.
The current geo-political state of affairs within the Indo-Pacific is fraught with main irritants destabilising the area. There is a necessity to ascertain widespread requirements to type the premise of deeper integration sooner or later and to make sure equal entry to international commons for all of the international locations for granted below worldwide regulation.
The quad members additionally acknowledged that peace and safety within the maritime area underpins the event and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific, and reiterated the significance of respect for sovereignty, in keeping with worldwide regulation.
“We reiterate the importance of adherence to international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South and East China Seas,” added the assertion.
They additionally strongly opposed any unilateral actions that search to vary the established order or enhance tensions within the space.
“We express serious concern at the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities,” added the assertion.
“We reiterate our conviction that the Quad, acting as a force for regional and global good, will be guided by the priorities of the Indo-Pacific region through its positive and constructive agenda,” it added.
The quad members additionally reaffirmed constant and unwavering help for ASEAN centrality and unity, and the ASEAN-led architecture- together with the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.
“We remain committed to supporting the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and will be guided in our work by ASEAN’s principles and priorities,” added the assertion.
They additionally welcomed Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship and vowed to help its Chair theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.””We identify tangible areas for the Quad to support the work of ASEAN. In addition, we are committed to further strengthening our respective relationships with ASEAN, thus creating a platform for greater Quad collaboration in support of the AOIP,” added the assertion.
The Quad leaders additionally focussed on deepening engagement with regional companions, together with by information-sharing, capacity-building and technical help, to strengthen maritime area consciousness; counter unlawful, unreported and unregulated fishing; improve their capability to guard and develop offshore assets, in keeping with UNCLOS; guarantee freedom of navigation and overflight; and promote the protection and safety of sea traces of communication.
“We look forward to continuing these discussions at the Quad Maritime Security Working Group meeting hosted by the United States in Washington DC in March 2023. In this context, we welcome the progress made under the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA),” added the assertion. (ANI)