The QUAD developed with the aim of supporting the “prosperous, open and free Indo Pacific region” and it was first given by Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan in the year 2007. In 2017, Australia, Japan, India and the United States together formed this “quadrilateral union”. They aim to protect the terror attacks and the justice for these attacks. 

The 4th QUAD meeting was held on 11 February for four hours (approximately). The members of the QUAD include Japan Foreign Affair minister Hayashi Yoshimasa, Australia Foreign Minister Senator the Hon Marise Payne, India Foreign Minister H.E. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Japan Foreign Minister along with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This QUAD meeting was held in order to support and protect from China’s outrage to the country and the people of the Indo Pacific region.

Overview of 4th QUAD Meeting

The overview of QUAD countries 4th meeting are as follows;

• All the members of QUAD recognised that there is an increase in the international challenges in the fields like the attempt of unilateralism in order to modify the status quo and economic enforcement as well as the aim of promoting the open and free international law has been increasing day by day.
• They also welcomed the vision of “Open and Free Indo-Pacific” by taking efforts like AOIP [ASEAN(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Outlook on the Indo Pacific], strategies of the Indo-Pacific region of European and EU countries.
• They strongly support the centrality and architecture of the ASEAN countries as well as to support or help them in execution of AOIP (foundation of prosperity as well as stability in regions). They also articulate Cambodia’s significance as this year Cambodia holds the Chairmanship of ASEAN.
• They also concurred the March and September Summit meetings outcomes which was held last year and they also discussed the COVID-19 responses as well as the support in the fields like cyber security, humanitarian assistance, maritime security and counter terrorism. They even welcomed the endeavour of countries Australia, Japan, India and the United States in volcanic eruption consequences and tsunami in the country Tonga as well as in relief in the humanitarian disaster in the Indo Pacific region.
• In reference to the South and East seas of China, the Foreign China minister manifested the concern regarding an attempt of unilateralism in order to modify the status quo and economic enforcement. He also stated the key outlook of Japan on Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
• The ministers also oppose North Korea for launching the ballistic missile in order to violate the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
• The ministers also exchanged their perspectives regarding the current Ukraine situation.
• All of them concurred to keep holding these QUAD Meetings every year in order to discuss their positive and significant contributions in their respective fields or for discussing important international issues as well for strengthening the relationship among themselves.

Conclusion

The members of the QUAD include 4 countries namely Australia, Japan, India and the United States with the aim to protect the economic or regional crisis as well as the terror attacks. The 4th QUAD meeting was held in Melbourne, Australia on February 11, 2021 with the aim of supporting the “Open and Free Indo-Pacific region”.