Quad Denounces Aggression in China Seas, Cross-Border Terrorism, and Gaza Crisis

New Delhi: Attacking China without naming it directly, the four-nation Quad -- comprising India, the United States, Japan and Australia -- said it was “seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterated strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion”. At the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in Tokyo on Monday, it further “expressed serious concern about the militarisation of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea” as well as on “the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, the increasing use of various kinds of dangerous manoeuvres, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities”. In a sense, we are in the midst of a re-globalisation.” The Quad joint statement, meanwhile, said: “We emphasise the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, including with respect to maritime claims, and in the South and East China Seas… We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, is a significant milestone, and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties." We urge all countries to take immediate, sustained and irreversible action to prevent territory under their control from being used for terrorist purposes.. We reiterate the call for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and their proxy groups.” Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the four nations said: “We express our deepest concern over the war raging in Ukraine including its terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences.