"Quad is Flexible... Seeks Cooperation with Like-Minded Countries"

Quad Leaders Publish Joint Op-Ed in WP After First Summit
Emphasizing Need for Solidarity Over Direct Targeting of China

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The leaders of the four countries in the Quad?United States, Japan, India, and Australia?who held their first summit meeting, stated in a joint media contribution that the Quad is a flexible group and that they will seek cooperation with all countries that share their objectives.

On the 13th, the day after the Quad summit, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison published a joint op-ed in the Washington Post (WP) titled "Our Four Nations Are Committed to a Free, Open, Safe, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region."

In the joint op-ed, they described the Quad as "a flexible group of like-minded partners committed to advancing a shared vision and ensuring peace and prosperity." They emphasized, "We welcome and will pursue opportunities to cooperate with all who share these goals."

The Quad leaders added, "We will renew and strengthen partnerships in Southeast Asia, starting with ASEAN, cooperate with Pacific Island countries, and engage in the Indian Ocean region."

They further stated, "We strive to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region remains accessible and dynamic, governed by international law and strong principles such as freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes, while guaranteeing that all countries can make their political choices free from coercion."

Similar to the joint statement from the Quad summit, the joint op-ed did not mention "China."

Instead of directly targeting China, the statement reaffirmed cooperation for the Indo-Pacific region, clearly signaling a stance to check China's influence.

The mention of the Quad as a "flexible group of like-minded countries" that will seek opportunities to cooperate with all countries sharing its goals is also interpreted as leaving open the possibility of expanding the Quad in ASEAN and Northeast Asia.

Within U.S. circles, there have been opinions advocating for South Korea and Vietnam to participate in the Quad's expanded framework, the "Quad Plus."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.