Quad leaders’ express “serious concerns” about intimidating maneuvers in South China Sea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday met for the 4th in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, and expressed serious concern about the coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea.

In the joint declaration, the leaders from the US, India, Australia, and Japan opposed efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities, and reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law.

“We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We continue to express our serious concern about the militarisation of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea. We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including the increasing use of dangerous manoeuvres. We also oppose efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS,” the Quad Wilmington Declaration said.

The leaders asserted that they are of strong conviction that international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, along with the maintenance of peace, safety, security, and stability in the maritime domain, should be kept at the topmost priority.

“We emphasize the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, including with respect to maritime claims,” the declaration read.

“We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of UNCLOS and reaffirm that UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and the seas must be carried out. We underscore that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties,” it further added.

The Quad leaders added that they recommit to working in partnership with Pacific island countries to achieve shared aspirations and address shared challenges.

“We remain committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. We strongly support IORA as the Indian Ocean region’s premier forum for addressing the region’s challenges. We recognize India’s leadership in finalizing the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and express our support for its implementation. We thank Sri Lanka for its continued leadership as IORA Chair through this year and look forward to India’s assuming the IORA Chair in 2025,” the declaration said.

The Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting joint statement issued on July 29 this year said that the countries of the bloc were collectively advancing a positive and practical agenda to support the Indo-Pacific region’s sustainable development, stability, and prosperity, responding to the region’s needs.

Amid China’s coercive pressure on Taiwan in the wake of the Lai Ching-te winning the presidential polls of the self-governed island and following tensions between China and the Philippines, the Quad foreign ministers had previously said they were “seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas” and reiterated their “strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.”

Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

As President Biden hosted a quadrilateral meeting on Saturday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, he also announced a series of initiatives to deliver a real positive impact for the Indo-Pacific, including providing new maritime technologies to Quad partners.

The sixth edition of the Quad Leaders’ Summit is a ‘farewell’ summit for both US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before they step down from their respective offices.

Quad is a diplomatic partnership between four countries–Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. US President Joe Biden is the host of the fourth in-person and sixth overall Quad Leaders’ Summit in Delaware.

The first Quad Leaders Summit was held in virtual format in 2021. The second Quad Leaders’ Summit (first in-person) was held in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2021. The third Quad Leaders’ Summit was held virtually on March 3, 2022. The fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit (second in-person) was hosted by Japan on May 24, 2022.

The fifth Quad Leaders’ Summit (third in-person) was held in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023.