Quad Foreign Ministers Meet in U.S.; Rubio Calls Them "Very Important Strategic Partners"

The foreign ministers of the Quad, a security consultative group comprising the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, met in Washington DC, USA, on the 1st (local time) to discuss security and economic cooperation measures in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as current international issues.

On the 1st (local time), the Quad foreign ministers' meeting, a security consultative body comprising the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, was held in Washington DC, USA. From the left, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indian Minister of External Affairs; Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs; Takeshi Iwaya, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This Quad foreign ministers' meeting was held for the first time in about five months, following the previous session on January 21, the day after Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term as U.S. president. At the opening remarks of the Quad foreign ministers' meeting held at the State Department, Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, described the Quad countries as "very important strategic partners and allies of the United States." He stated that now is the time to put the cooperative initiatives discussed within the Quad into concrete action. In particular, Secretary Rubio emphasized that he is highly focused on diversifying the supply chains of critical minerals essential to all technologies and industries. He said, "Establishing diverse and reliable global supply chains is one of the many areas we are focusing on, strengthening, and where we can achieve tangible results."

The Quad is a consultative body with an emphasis on counterbalancing China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Recently, the Trump administration, while engaged in a tariff war with China, has sought to ease tensions with China in order to secure a stable supply of critical minerals, which are otherwise heavily dependent on China.

The meeting took place amid strained relations between the United States and the other three Quad countries, due to various tariffs unilaterally imposed by President Trump on the remaining three Quad nations. Japan has held several rounds of negotiations with the United States but has not achieved its desired outcomes, such as the easing of automobile tariffs. There have also been reports that Japan, in protest against U.S. demands for increased defense spending, canceled the U.S.-Japan Foreign and Defense Ministers' (2+2) meeting that was scheduled for early next month.

Additionally, uncertainty has grown over Australia's plan to receive nuclear-powered submarines from the United States, as the Trump administration decided to review the AUKUS agreement, which had been signed with the United States and the United Kingdom under the previous Biden administration. Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, noted that the Quad ministers have gathered at a time when conflicts and competition are intensifying globally. She stated, "It has become more important than ever to use our collective strength and peace for the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and all our peoples."

Takeshi Iwaya, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, also highlighted the current turmoil in the Middle East and Europe, emphasizing that "peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region are essential for the prosperity of the international community."