Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 6-7 October, in Tokyo, a face-to-face meeting of US Secretary of State M. Pompeo with the Foreign Ministers of Japan, Australia, India (T. Motegi, M. Payne, S. Jaishankar) took place within the framework of the Quadripartite Dialogue on Security (QUAD).
The parties: 1) discussed the issues of economic recovery of countries after the pandemic; 2) exchanged views on the denuclearization of the DPRK, the situation in the South China and East China Seas; 3) agreed to strengthen the freedom of navigation on sea lines of trade.
According to analysts, the United States, against the backdrop of a tough confrontation with China, attaches great importance to this meeting, since it views the Quadripartite Dialogue as a platform for strengthening ties with regional allies in the issue of containing Beijing. Washington is seeking to transform the format into a NATO-style alliance in the Indo-Pacific.
In turn, Tokyo, Canberra and New Delhi are showing interest in strengthening ties with the United States to counter the PRC. Relations between Australia and China escalated in 2018 due to Beijing’s economic expansion in the region. After Canberra’s call to investigate the causes of the coronavirus in April this year. the escalation began to grow.
The sharply frequent calls of Chinese warships into the waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea increased tensions in relations between Beijing and Tokyo. Relations between India and China, always balancing on the brink of rivalry and cooperation, sharply escalated in May this year. - after clashes on the border of the two countries.
In general, experts believe that the Quadripartite Dialogue is aimed at developing a common strategy and a united front in order to limit China’s ambitions, as well as preserve the nominal dominance of the United States and its allies in the region.
It is noted that in the medium term, Beijing’s policy in the South China and East China Seas, as well as its confrontation with India and Australia, will serve as factors strengthening cooperation in the QUAD format.