Quad leaders celebrate links
The Quad nations - Australia, India, Japan and the US - have issued a joint statement on their shared concerns.
The Quad's latest statement declares an opposition to unilateral force and calls for cooperation on global security, economic development, and regional stability.
In a joint statement issued by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and US President Joe Biden, the leaders celebrated four years of Quad summits.
The Quad, they said, “is more strategically aligned than ever before” to act as a “force for good” in the Indo-Pacific.
The Quad's vision centres on upholding the rule of law, maintaining peace, and resisting coercive efforts to alter regional dynamics.
The leaders reiterated their commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and addressed mounting tensions in the region, condemning missile launches that violate UN Security Council resolutions and aggressive maritime actions.
Their concerns over destabilisation in the Indo-Pacific are underpinned by a collective aim to ensure no country in the region dominates or is dominated.
On health, the Quad announced an expanded ‘Cancer Moonshot’ aimed at cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific.
Building on previous efforts, such as COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the leaders hope to combat this preventable disease.
India's contribution includes HPV sampling kits and vaccines valued at $7.5 million, while Australia has pledged $29.6 million to an initiative targeting cervical cancer in up to 11 Indo-Pacific countries.
Another focal point is the climate crisis, with the Quad vowing to accelerate clean energy transitions.
Australia announced a $50 million program to diversify solar, hydrogen, and battery supply chains across the Indo-Pacific.
The US and Japan are contributing to renewable energy projects, aiming to boost regional resilience and cooperation.
The leaders framed the Quad as essential to preserving Indo-Pacific stability, with a nod to strengthening regional partnerships and ASEAN centrality.
The leaders said the Quad nations will continue to unite against coercion, despite their own assertive power plays.