Phot: Reuters
Australia and India's foreign ministers expressed confidence on Tuesday that the Quad group, comprising the US, India, Australia, and Japan, will continue to collaborate in the Indo-Pacific region, irrespective of the outcome of the US presidential election. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong informed reporters in Canberra that she had met with Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State during the previous Trump Administration, prior to the US election. Wong described their meeting as "a very good discussion." One of the key topics discussed was AUKUS, the defense technology partnership between Australia, Britain, and the US aimed at transferring nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. Wong noted the "bipartisan support" for AUKUS, which was initiated under the Biden Administration in 2023. "In terms of the US election, we will work with whomever the American people choose," she stated.
China views the Quad as an attempt to contain its influence, while Australia, Japan, India, and the US maintain that they are like-minded democracies committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific. In September, the Quad leaders agreed to establish joint coast guard patrols and enhance military logistics cooperation. Wong emphasized the Quad's "very valuable" role in the region, adding that its importance will persist regardless of the election outcome. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, during an official visit to Australia, highlighted that the Quad was revitalized under the Trump presidency in 2017. "When we look at the American election, we are very confident that whatever the verdict, our relationship with the United States will only grow," he said.
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
