External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that the South China Sea issue was raised in the Quad Foreign Minister’s meeting in Washington as it remains a “matter of grave concern” for all four member nations. Jaishankar said the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan all have a “common priority” to make sure that the waterway remains peaceful and free of conflict, as all four countries share interests in the region.
“On South China Sea, there was some discussion as it is an issue of great concern… The issue is to find a solution to the disputes pertaining to that. The Quad members all have a shared interest because for us it’s a very important international waterway, how to ensure that it stays calm and free of conflict is something which is a common priority,” Jaishankar said.
Following the meeting, the four countries issued a joint statement reiterating their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that attempt to alter the status quo by force or coercion. “We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea. We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.
We express our serious concerns regarding dangerous and provocative actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of the freedoms of navigation and overflight, and the dangerous manoeuvres by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels, especially the unsafe use of water cannons and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea,” the statement read.
“These actions threaten peace and stability in the region. We are seriously concerned by the militarisation of disputed features. We emphasise the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea, and unimpeded commerce consistent with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” it added.
The Quad foreign ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to defending the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in the Indo-Pacific. “We are committed to a region where all countries are free from coercion and strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement said. During the meeting, the leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific and how they could further leverage the Quad’s collective strength to advance peace, security and prosperity, in partnership with regional partners.
