Quad Leaders Unite to Strengthen Maritime Security Amid Regional Tensions

Leaders from India, Japan, the United States and Australia met in Wilmington to discuss enhancing cooperation in maritime security as China’s provocative actions in Asian waters escalate. The Quad leaders adopted a joint statement expressing serious concerns about the East and South China seas.

Furthermore, maritime security and logistics were key areas of focus at the Quad Summit 2024. The announcement of the Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) aims to strengthen the security and monitoring of waters in the region. A Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project was also introduced to enhance shared airlift capacity among the four nations for responding to natural disasters. Moreover, plans for a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025 were revealed, emphasizing collaboration among coast guard departments of the four countries in the Indo-Pacific.

The leaders strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion, without explicitly naming China. They also condemned North Korea’s recent illicit missile launches and expressed deepest concern over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio stressed the importance of demonstrating a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, while U.S. President Joe Biden highlighted the increased strategic alignment among the Quad nations.

This Quad summit marked the first meeting since Hiroshima in May 2023 and was originally scheduled to be held in India, but was moved to the United States at Biden’s request. The next summit will be held in India in 2025. The gathering in Wilmington, Biden’s hometown, was a significant event for outgoing Kishida as his final attendance at a Quad summit. Coast guard staff from Japan, Australia, and India will also observe U.S. Coast Guard patrol vessels’ sea law enforcement activities starting in 2025.

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