Blinken, Foreign Ministers ‘Seriously Concerned’ About Indo-Pacific Security

(L–R) Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken take part in a news conference after the Quad Ministerial Meeting at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo on July 29, 2024. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top diplomats from Australia, India, and Japan said they are “seriously concerned” about the situation in the South and East China seas and are working on ways to maintain maritime safety and security in the region.

Mr. Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar were in Tokyo on July 29 for a ministerial meeting of the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) partners.

In a joint statement following their meeting, the four diplomats expressed their concerns about recent Chinese maritime activities, without directly mentioning China.

“We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China seas and reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the foreign ministers stated.

“We continue to express our serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea.

“We also express our serious concern about the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, the increasing use of various kinds of dangerous maneuvers, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.”

In recent months, China’s coast guard and other forces have clashed with Philippine ships seeking to bring supplies to its military personnel stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal. There appears to be an easing of tensions after the Armed Forces of the Philippines successfully transported supplies to the shoal without any incident on July 27, after the two sides reached a provisional agreement on July 21.

The Quad partners said they are working on multiple initiatives to maintain “the free and open maritime order,” including assisting partners to enhance maritime domain awareness through satellite data, training, and capacity building. They also announced a plan to launch “a Quad maritime legal dialogue” to support their efforts to “uphold the rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific.”

Additionally, the Quad partners said they intend to “geographically expand” the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness to the Indian Ocean region. The initiative was launched in 2022 to better track illegal fishing and “dark shipping” in the Indo-Pacific.

“All countries have a role in contributing to regional peace, stability, and prosperity, while seeking a region in which no country dominates and no country is dominated, competition is managed responsibly, and each country is free from coercion in all its forms and can exercise its agency to determine its own future,” the partners stated.

‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’

The four Quad partners held a joint news conference following their meeting, and they spoke of their shared vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”

“We are charting a course for a more secure and open Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean region by bolstering maritime security,” Mr. Blinken told reporters after the meeting. “In practical terms what does this mean? It means strengthening the capacity of partners across the region to know what’s happening in their own waters.”

The United States will continue to ensure freedom of navigation, overflight, and the unimpeded flow of lawful maritime commerce, he said.

Mr. Jaishankar said the Quad partners are working together “for a free and open Indo-Pacific, for a rules-based order, and for global good.”

Asked about the Quad’s concerns about the South and East China seas at a regular briefing on July 29, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian accused the group of “artificially creating tension” and “inciting confrontation” in the region, according to China’s state-run media.

Mr. Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Tokyo on July 29. According to a readout of the meeting from the Pentagon, the three officials discussed opportunities to continue expanding trilateral cooperation with South Korea.

On July 28, Mr. Austin, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, and Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara signed a memorandum institutionalizing trilateral security cooperation, including information sharing and trilateral exercises, according to a Pentagon statement. Their shared aim is to bring stability to the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.

Also on July 28, Mr. Blinken, Mr. Austin, Ms. Kamikawa, and Mr. Kihara held a “2+2” security meeting, where they agreed that China’s foreign policy “seeks to reshape the international order” and that threats from China are “the greatest strategic challenge,” according to a statement. They agreed to further bolster bilateral military cooperation by upgrading the command and control of the U.S. forces in Japan.

The four U.S. and Japanese officials also emphasized the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait as “an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the international community.”

Taiwan, which is under the threat of China’s military, welcomed the support voiced by the Japanese and U.S. officials.

“As a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan will work steadfastly to deepen cooperation with the United States, Japan, and other like-minded nations to jointly safeguard the shared values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on July 28.

Reuters contributed to this report.