(L-R): Marise Payne, Toshimitsu Motegi, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Mike Pompeo, foreign ministers attending the Quad meet in Tokyo on Tuesday. (Image via NewsBharati)

U.S, Australia, India, Japan to discuss China

On Tuesday, four Foreign Ministers from four Indo-Pacific nations, known as the "Quad Group" are gathering in Tokyo for the regional initiative "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP). The talks aim to persuade Japan to increase its involvement in tackling China's growing assertiveness. The talks will also be the first in-person talks since the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic broke out. The Ministers attending the talks are:

1. U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo;

2. Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne;

3. Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar; and

4. Japanese Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi.

Not only COVID-19 but also the Japanese government' officials said that the discussion will also cover the implementation of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" initiative for greater cooperation in security and economy with Japan and the U.S as its forerunners, gathering "like-minded" nations that share concerns about China's growing assertiveness in the region.

The talks also came ahead of the U.S Presidential election in November and the tensions between the U.S & China over COVID-19, trade, technology, and human rights. Not to mention, the U.S and China are caught in a dispute over the treatment of Hong Kong and Taiwan. Canceling visits to South Korea (S. Korea) and Mongolia after the President of the United States, Donald Trump was being hospitalized due to COVID-19, Pompeo decided to attend the meeting, hoping that the Quad Group's meeting will yield "significant results".

Not only Japan and the U.S but also China's bilateral relations with Australia and India are deteriorating. Tensions between China and India are rising due to the disputed Himalayan border, while Australia's ties with China are slumping in recent months. 

The Prime Minister (PM) of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, will also make his first in-person appearance while attending the Quad meet. Suga will also talk with Pompeo on deepening the Japan-U.S alliance and the FOIP. During his upcoming visit to the ASEAN, Suga will also promote the FOIP.

Source: https://bit.ly/2GubR8H