New Delhi: In a joint statement aimed at sending a message to China, the Quad grouping on Tuesday opposed "any provocative or unilateral attempt" to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific region and stressed on peaceful settlement of disputes. The second in-person meeting of the Quad leaders in Tokyo was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Quad On Indo-Pacific Region
"We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the (Indo-Pacific) area, such as the militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," a joint statement by the Quad leaders said.
The statement comes at a time when relations between China and the Quad member countries have nosedived. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea and has built artificial islands and military installations, PTI reported.
India and the US have repeatedly stressed on the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's military exercises in the region.
In the joint statement, the four leaders said the Quad would champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas.
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"We strongly support the principles of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, and freedom of navigation and overflight, all of which are essential to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and to the world," the statement said.
The grouping resolved to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion.
Quad On North Korea And Myanmar
The Quad leaders condemned North Korea's "destabilising" ballistic missile development and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
They voiced concern over the crisis in Myanmar and called for the immediate end to violence in the country, release of all political detainees, and the swift restoration of democracy. In February 2021, the country's military seized power in a midnight coup, triggering widescale protests, armed resistance and mass killings.
Quad On Terrorism And Terror Financing
The Quad leaders also condemned terrorism in all its forms and mentioned the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. In a message to Pakistan, the grouping emphasised combating the financing of terrorism by all countries.
"We denounce the use of terrorist proxies and emphasise the importance of denying any logistical, financial or military support to terrorist groups which could be used to launch or plan terror attacks, including cross-border attacks," the statement said.
"We reiterate our condemnation of terrorist attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. We also reaffirm UNSC Resolution 2593 (2021), which demands that Afghan territory must never again be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or finance terrorist attacks," it said.
"We emphasise the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism by all countries, consistent with FATF recommendations," the statement further said.