Written by David Brunnstrom and Simon Lewis (JO:) and Alasdair Pal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States, Australia, India and Japan pledged to work together on Tuesday after top diplomats from the China-focused group Quad met for the first time since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. I promised again.
In a joint statement after talks in Washington hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on his first day in office, the four countries said officials would meet regularly in preparation for a summit in India scheduled for this year.
The four countries share concerns about China's growing power, and analysts say the talks show countering China is a top priority for President Trump, who begins his second term on Monday. It was analyzed that it was planned for
Rubio earlier said during the meeting he would emphasize the importance of working with allies “on the things that matter to the United States and Americans.”
Before the meeting at the State Department, he posed in front of their countries' flags with Australia's Penny Wong, India's Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japan's Tsuyoshi Iwaya and others, but did not answer questions from reporters. There wasn't.
“It is significant that the Quad (foreign ministers' meeting) was held within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration,” Foreign Minister Jaishankar told X after the meeting.
“This highlights China's priority in the foreign policy of member states.”
In a joint statement, the four countries reiterated their “shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and protected.”
“We also strongly oppose any unilateral action that attempts to change the status quo through force or coercion,” he said, adding that China's threat to act on its claims of sovereignty over democratically ruled Taiwan is clear. mentioned.
This includes the East China Sea, where Japan is embroiled in a territorial dispute with China, and the disputed South China Sea, the Japanese government said in a later statement.
Mr. Iwaya also expressed concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development at the rally, and called for assistance in resolving the conflict with North Korea over its past abductions of Japanese people.
Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Toshihiro Kitamura said in a press conference that in a separate bilateral meeting, Iwaya asked Rubio and Trump's national security adviser Mike Walz about the security situation in East Asia. Taking this into account, Japan said it has conveyed that it has no choice but to continue strengthening its defense capabilities.
Japan plans to double its defense spending by 2027, undertaking the largest military buildup since World War II. The return of President Trump has heightened expectations that the U.S. government will pressure allies to further increase defense spending.
Iwaya added that he asked Rubio to create an environment where Japanese companies can invest with confidence.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden this month blocked Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion bid to buy U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns, a move that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other officials said was regrettable. , expressed concern and expressed concerns about future investment in the United States.
Kitamura said Japan hopes to set up a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Ishiba in February or March.
Mr. Rubio also met separately with Mr. Wong and Mr. Jaishankar.
Australia's main objective was to get assurances from Washington about the massive AUKUS defense project, designed to allow Australia to acquire advanced weapons such as nuclear attack submarines and hypersonic missiles, but President Trump has not commented publicly on this.
Australian Foreign Minister Wong told a news conference in Washington that he had had “very positive discussions” with Rubio about AUKUS.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement after the meeting that Wong and Rubio discussed efforts to continue bilateral defense cooperation, AUKUS, critical minerals and global supply chain security. .
“The Secretary and the Foreign Secretary praised the long-standing US-Australia alliance as the foundation for international security and prosperity, and a safe and prosperous Indo-Pacific region free of coercion.”
Mr Wong added: “We are quite optimistic and confident about the opportunities ahead.”
China denounces the Quad as a Cold War structure and argues that the AUKUS alliance would intensify the regional arms race.
Trump administration officials are coordinating another meeting of foreign ministers at the White House, according to a person involved in planning the meeting.
The Quad group met numerous times during former President Joe Biden's administration to focus on Beijing's military and economic activities in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the South China Sea, where U.S. allies have opposed Beijing's territorial claims. I guessed it.
The group also pledged to advance cooperation in the area of cybersecurity to protect critical infrastructure such as supply chains and undersea cables.
