Foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, India and Australia held the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on the 26th, announcing the launch of a new Indo-Pacific Maritime Monitoring Initiative, and strengthening cooperation on port infrastructure, energy and critical minerals.
The meeting comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States and Israel. Iran has recently considered establishing a permanent toll system, further strengthening its control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after the meeting that the Indo-Pacific region is currently facing severe economic pressure, and opposed any “toll proposals” that could affect freedom of navigation. She noted that maintaining open and stable sea lanes is crucial to regional economies and global supply chains.
The four foreign ministers also announced cooperation with Fiji to promote port infrastructure development, in order to enhance the cargo-handling capacity of Pacific island ports. The meeting also announced strengthened cooperation on energy and critical minerals supply chains.
The Quad, originally composed of the US, Japan, India and Australia, is widely regarded as an important strategic cooperation mechanism responding to China’s expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific region. In recent years, China has continued to strengthen its military and diplomatic presence in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific, contributing to rising regional security tensions.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said in Beijing on the 26th that China does not support “exclusive small circles” or bloc confrontation, stressing that any cooperation should not undermine mutual trust and cooperation between regional countries.