The Quad nations’ foreign ministers will be meeting on 6 October in Tokyo to chalk out a strategy to counter expansionist and aggressive China. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is an informal strategic forum comprising the United State, Japan, Australia and India. All the foreign ministers will be attending the meeting with ideas to be developed into a “foolproof” plan to corner China, sources said.
According to sources, the newly-appointed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga after having a talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago had asked his foreign minister to hold the Quad meet as soon as possible. “Suga is more than keen to have a foolproof strategy ready at the earliest to rein in recalcitrant China,” says an official of foreign ministry.
“All the four member nations will be working to develop a stronger strategic cooperation keeping in view the Dragon’s activities to grow its clout and influence in Asia and other regions,” says the official.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is learnt to have spoken to his US and Japanese counterparts ahead of this crucial session of Quad. Sources told The Daily Guardian that Jaishankar has updated his counterparts in Washington and Tokyo on Beijing’s aggressive behaviour in the Indian Ocean Region and along the Line of Actual Control. Sources said the foreign ministers of the US, Japan and Australia will take into account these inputs given by Jaishankar while formulating a joint strategy. “All the four nations want a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and the meeting of the foreign ministers will be crucial from that point of views,” sources said. After this meeting, a follow-up session in November will also take place, in which top officials dealing with strategic issues in all the four countries of Quad will be participating, sources said.
Counter-terrorism and maritime security will also be discussed prominently, sources said. “Main focus will be on China, and, of course, China’s growing ties with Pakistan especially in the field of intelligence sharing will be discussed,” say officials. The US is understood to have significant updates on Pakistan and China sharing intelligence inputs, sources said.