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Japan, India, US, Australia discuss Indo-Pacific

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TOKYO: The top diplomats from Japan, India, Australia and the United States agreed on Tuesday to enhance their cooperation, with an eye on the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s growing assertiveness.


“It is more critical now than ever that we collaborate to protect our people and partnerships from the Chinese Communist Party’s exploitation and corruption and coercion,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a meeting in Tokyo.


“We see it in the South and East China seas, in Mekong, the Himalayas, Taiwan Strait — these are just a few examples,” he added.


Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also participated in the talks. “The four nations share fundamental values of democracy, rule of law and free economy,” Motegi said.


“Committed to upholding the rules-based international order, underpinned by the rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty and peaceful resolution of disputes,” Jaishankar tweeted.


The four countries’ top diplomats, a group they call the Quad, held the second ministerial-level multi-party conference as China has stepped up its territorial claims in the South and East China seas.


Earlier in the day, Payne and Pompeo had their third meeting this year, Payne said. “We spoke about our ongoing cooperation to promote peace, stability and prosperity in our region,” she wrote on Twitter. “Great to meet again with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne today in Tokyo to discuss Quad cooperation.


The US-Australia-India-Japan relationship is integral to ensuring an open and transparent Indo-Pacific,” Pompeo tweeted.


Pompeo also held talks with Motegi, exchanging views concerning the situations in North Korea and the South and East China seas, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.


The two agreed that the United States and Japan would coordinate closely to deal with North Korean missile and nuclear weapons development, according to the ministry.


In his first visit to Japan since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office in mid-September, Pompeo met with the new Japanese leader. — dpa


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