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China has issued a stark warning against “bloc confrontation” after Quad countries Australia, the US, India and Japan inked a deal to build surveillance capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and increase co-operation on critical minerals.
Quad, which stands for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a diplomatic partnership between the four countries that was first established in 2004.
India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hosted this year’s first Quad talks in New Delhi this week.
It was attended by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
After the meeting, Quad’s foreign ministers said in a joint statement its members would work on two maritime initiatives – one that focuses on surveillance and information sharing and another that expands understanding of maritime domains.
They would also establish a new critical minerals framework to help co-ordinate investment and strengthen critical minerals supply chains, including in mining, processing, and recycling, the statement said.
Senator Wong said Quad would work together to help establish a port in Fiji, describing it as an exercise in the group’s ability “to deliver high-quality, resilient infrastructure in partnership with the region and in response to Pacific priorities”.
Mr Rubio said the port infrastructure project in Fiji was “exciting” and believed it would be “very successful”.
Fiji is located in the South Pacific, a region where Australia and China are locked into a strategic contest for influence.
On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning warned Quad’s co-operation in the region “should not target any third party” after being asked about its maritime surveillance initiative.
“Co-operation between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity and not target any third party,” she told reporters.
“We oppose forming exclusive groupings or engaging in bloc confrontation.”
The joint statement also said Quad members remained “seriously concerned” about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
“We reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilising or unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region,” the ministers said.
They also expressed concern at “dangerous and coercive actions” in the region.
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