A veiled attack on China? Japan PM says 'unilateral changes to status quo unacceptable in Indo-Pacific'

New Delhi, Mar 4: In a veiled attack on China, the leaders of the Quad, during a virtual summit echoed a unified position condemning "unilateral changes to the status quo" in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

 

 

 

"Unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion like the recent Russian aggression against Ukraine are also unacceptable in the Indo-Pacific region. It is critically important for us to bring about a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kishida was quoted as saying by his office on Twitter.

 

 

Further, he said, "It is critically important for us to bring about a free and open Indo-Pacific. We agreed we will work in close cooperation to ensure the success of our next face-to-face Quad summit, which will be held in Tokyo in the coming months." The Quad's joint readout also said that the four met to reiterate the adherence to "a free and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is respected."

 

On Thursday, the Quad Leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a virtual meeting to reaffirm their dedication to the Quad as a mechanism to promote regional stability and prosperity. "The Quad leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications," the joint statement said.

 

 

They agreed to stand up new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism which will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine, the statement added.

 

In their continuing pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad Leaders agreed to meet in person in Tokyo in the coming months. This was the first meeting since the leaders of four Quad countries held a summit in September last year in Washington.

 

 

A PMO statement said that the leaders discussed other topical issues, including the situation in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region and the Pacific Islands. PM Modi reiterated the importance "of adhering to the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity".