‘Quad’ top diplomats focus on ASEAN maritime security — but don’t mention China
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (from left), Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong pose for a photo ahead. . .
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (from left), Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong pose for a photo ahead of their "Quad" ministers' meeting on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related summits in Manila on Wednesday. |JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRYJul 22, 2026Top diplomats from “the Quad” grouping of Japan, Australia, India and the U. S. on Wednesday singled out maritime security as a key issue for Southeast Asian nations amid rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea. “We are united in our conviction that peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain underpin the security and prosperity of the region,” Quad diplomats said in a joint statement released after a meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila. The foreign ministers’ meeting — the fourth to bring together Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi, Australia’s Penny Wong, India’s S. Jaishankar and U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio since December 2024 — came just days after Manila and Beijing clashed in the South China Sea. In a time of both misinformation and too much information,quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. SUBSCRIBE NOW