Indo-Pacific Quad ministers work on supply chains, denounce arbitrary export res...

Four nations - the United States, Australia, India, and Japan - comprising the Indo-Pacific Quadrilateral (Quad) foreign ministers signed a joint statement on Saturday. They affirmed their dedication to constructing dependable global supply chains and voiced deep apprehension about what they termed "economic coercion" via export limitations and non-market practices.

However, they refrained from explicitly naming China. This joint declaration materialized at a time when Japan has vehemently criticized Beijing over its restrictions on critical mineral exports, while the US has been rallying a coalition of G20 countries apprehensive about China's control over rare earths and other essential minerals.

They reaffirmed their backing for a liberated and accessible Indo-Pacific region, stressing the significance of economic stability for worldwide peace and prosperity, encompassing dependable and open global supply chains. The ministers underscored the "irrefutable need to shield and preserve navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait."

They also vowed $85 million in aid to support reliable artificial intelligence technologies throughout the Indo-Pacific region and launched an initiative to detect vulnerabilities in semiconductor and related supply chains before they cause disruptions. This was the third meeting of Quad foreign ministers this year, with plans underway for US President Donald Trump to participate in his inaugural formal gathering of the four nations' leaders next month in Manila during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations conference.