QUAD officials discuss Taiwan Strait and Myanmar

Washington DC/New Delhi: Senior officials from the United States, Australia, India, and Japan met virtually as part of regular Quad consultations to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region. They discussed the importance of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, the ongoing crisis in Burma, and reaffirmed the Quad’s strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. 

The four democracies acknowledged that global security and prosperity depends on the region remaining inclusive, resilient, and healthy.  They discussed the importance of sustained international cooperation to end the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indo-Pacific and to promote economic recovery.  

India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the consultations provided an opportunity to exchange views on the wide-ranging impact of COVID-19 in the Indo-Pacific region, and the importance of collaborative efforts to contain the pandemic, ensure health security and a quick economic recovery. In this context the progress of the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced by the Leaders, with the objective of enhancing vaccine production and equitable access, was reviewed. 

“This meeting seeks to build on and implement the historic discussions held between President (Joe) Biden, Prime Minister (Scott) Morrison, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, and Prime Minister (Yoshihide) Suga during the inaugural Quad Leaders’ Summit on March 12, 2021,”a US Department of State spokesperson stated in Washington DC today.

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The officials examined ways to advance ongoing cooperation on numerous topics of mutual interest, including strategic challenges confronting the region, countering disinformation, promoting democracy and human rights, strengthening international institutions including the United Nations and related organizations, and supporting countries vulnerable to coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.

They also discussed issues of common interest and explored possibilities of collaboration in resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, cyber security, counter-terrorism, infrastructure and connectivity, higher education, climate change and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Recalling their shared values and principles, the Officials reaffirmed commitment towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region based on respect for international law. 

They welcomed the opportunity to continue regular consultations at the ministerial, senior official, and working levels and said they look forward to continuing regular consultations and the next Foreign Ministers’ Meeting later this year.

It may be mentioned that earlier this year, the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in February was followed by the historic first Leaders’ Summit held in March 2021 which adopted a positive vision and pledged to strengthen cooperation on contemporary challenges.

– global bihari bureau