Quad foreign ministers express grave concern over economic coercion

The Quad foreign ministers on Saturday expressed "grave concern" over "economic coercion" through arbitrary export restrictions and practices that disrupt global supply chains.

In an apparent reference to China, the foreign ministers of India, the US, Australia and Japan expressed grave concerns regarding economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions, as well as non-market policies and practices that result in overcapacity, disrupting global supply chains in critical industries.

In a joint statement after their meeting in Atlanta, the Quad foreign ministers reiterated their commitment to building reliable and open global supply chains and trusted and resilient infrastructure.

The Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting was convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

The ministers recognised the importance of critical sea lanes, the uninterrupted flow of commerce, energy security, and the unhindered passage and safety of maritime crews and vessels without the imposition of tolls.

They also reiterated the absolute necessity to protect and preserve navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in accordance with international law as reflected in UNCLOS.

This was the third Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting held this year. Earlier, the ministers met in New Delhi in May and in Manila in July.

Moves are underway to convene a Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN-East Asian Summits in mid-November.