In the midst of tensions with China, Australia will host a Quad meeting of foreign ministers

*Paromita Das

The Australian government announced on Monday that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Australia in February to meet with colleagues from Japan, India, and Australia to discuss Indo-Pacific coordination.

The foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue are gathering for two days after the US warned that China is becoming “more forceful and hostile.”

China has previously referred to the Quad as a Cold War-era construct and a clique that is “targeting other countries.”

Marise Payne, Australia’s foreign minister, did not give a specific date for the meeting, but said she was looking forward to meeting with her counterparts in the coming weeks.

The meeting’s date has not been set, but Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement that she is looking forward to welcome the Quad foreign ministers to Australia in the coming weeks.

“We are a critical network of liberal democracies working together to give our region strategic options, with an emphasis on real ways to strengthen all governments’ resilience and sovereignty,” Payne added.

She noted that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government is strengthening Australia’s regional ties in the face of “strategic rivalry, threats to the liberal international order, and increased uncertainty.”

Because of pandemic restrictions on overseas travel, Japanese media had previously announced that the Quad conference could be held digitally.

Officials in Canberra anticipate that the February meeting’s date will allow Jaishankar to recover and return a negative test.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s foreign minister is also expected to attend.

The Quad grouping has previously addressed increasing COVID-19 vaccine supplies to the region, semiconductor supply chains, and technology cooperation. Joint naval drills have also been held.