Melbourne – The foreign ministers of the Quad group began their meet in Melbourne today. Climate change, COVID and China's "coercion" in the Indo-Pacific are among the top agenda during the meet. The group will also address the escalating crisis between the West and Russia over Ukraine.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), colloquially the Quad or QUAD, is a strategic security dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia that is maintained by talks between member countries.
Indo-Pacific 'Coercion'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Australia this week. Asked if a confrontation with China in the Indo-Pacific was inevitable, Blinken replied "nothing is inevitable". He also shared his concern about China’s aggressive actions both at home and in the region.
Blinken's trip comes after China and Russia declared last week a "no limits" strategic partnership, their most detailed and assertive statement to work together - and against the United States - to build a new international order based on their own interpretations of human rights and democracy.
Speaking to reporters on the plane to Melbourne, Blinken had described the Quad as a "powerful mechanism" to deliver vaccines worldwide as well as to push back against "aggression and coercion" in the Indo-Pacific, without naming China.
U.S.-Chinese ties are at their lowest point in decades as the world's top two economies disagree on issues ranging from Hong Kong and Taiwan to the South China Sea and China's treatment of ethnic minorities.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on top of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, climate change and COVID related issues, the two top diplomats will also be discussing China, North Korea and Ukraine reported Reuters.
"More than one authoritarian regime is presenting itself in the current world climate as a challenge. DPRK (North Korea), China as well and they will be part of our discussions today. We strongly support U.S. leadership on these challenges," she said before a bilateral meeting with Blinken.
Ukraine Crisis
Britain has warned that the Ukraine crisis has reached the "most dangerous moment". Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea following the buildup of its forces near Ukraine.
Blinken assured that though Washington was constantly monitoring the Ukraine crisis, focus remains on the Indo-Pacific, a region he remarked would be instrumental in shaping much of 21st century. "It's important that we be present, that we be engaged, that we be leading across this region," he said.
The Quad's cooperation on the region's COVID response was "most critical", Payne told parliament, with cyber and maritime security, infrastructure, climate action and disaster relief - especially after the recent Tonga volcanic eruption - also in focus.
United States urged Americans in the country to leave immediately due to increased threats of Russian military action. But leaders on all sides signalled they hoped diplomacy could still prevail in what British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Europe's biggest security crisis for decades.
New pledges are unlikely to be announced before a May summit of Quad leaders in Japan that President Joe Biden plans to attend.
-Reuters