Quad To Launch New Security Initiative To Check China's Illegal Fishing In Indo-Pacific: Report

The launch will look to stop China from its alleged illegal fishing as the nation is allegedly responsible for 95 per cent of the illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific. 

New Delhi: The Quadrilateral Security Alliance (Quad) has planned to launch a satellite-based maritime security initiative in a bid to check China's illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific region. Ahead of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue on May 24, the top leaders of the four nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, newly elected Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida will hold talks with an aim to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, news agency ANI reported citing The Financial Times.

As per ANI, the satellite-based system will enable the Quad nations to keep a watch on China, to monitor illegal fishing even when fishing boats have turned off the transponders.

The Quad members have economic and security interests that span the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Quad countries are expected to launch a satellite-based maritime initiative that aims to tackle the issue of illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific region. The launch will look to stop China from its alleged illegal fishing as the nation is allegedly responsible for 95 per cent of the illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific. 

Quad is a grouping of countries, sharing core values of democracy, pluralism, and market economy, and its corporations are shaped principally by the goals of promoting peace and stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. 

The Quad group was formed to keep the strategic and significant sea routes in the Indo-Pacific region to be influence-free while another main objective of the alliance is to offer financial help to nations with debt in the Indo-Pacific region. 

China has in several instances criticised the Quad as Beijing sees it as an alliance formed to check the nation's global rise. Beijing has accused the group of being dedicated to undermining its interests. 

According to ANI's report, China is also concerned about South Korea also planning to join the Quad. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tokyo to attend the Quad leaders' summit from May 23-24, at the invitation of Japanese PM Fumio Kishida. He will be accompanied by his counterparts from Japan and Australia as well as US President Joe Biden. 

In Japan, PM will participate in the second in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit, which will provide an opportunity for leaders of 4 Quad countries to review the progress of Quad initiatives.

The leaders will review the progress of Quad initiatives and working group. They will identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaborations.