August 13, 2021
3 mins read

Quad officials discuss cooperation on supply chain, critical technologies

The overdependence on China has been exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic as the world faced critical shortages due to supply chain problems while China was in a race to gain an edge in critical technologies…reports Arul Louis.

Senior officials of the Quad countries on Thursday explored collaboration to ensure resilient supply chains and in the areas of emerging and critical technologies to move their cooperation to a newer level.

India’s External Affairs Ministry, in a statement after the virtual meeting, said: “The Officials discussed issues of common interest and explored possibilities of collaboration in resilient supply chains, emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, cyber security, counter-terrorism, infrastructure and connectivity, higher education, climate change and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.”

The overdependence on China has been exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic as the world faced critical shortages due to supply chain problems while China was in a race to gain an edge in critical technologies.

A statement from Tokyo said that Vani Rao, the Joint Secretary for the Americas, and Naveen Srivastava, the Additional Secretary for East Asia, represented India at the meeting.

The other participants in the meeting included Richard Buangan, the acting senior official for the East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Dean Thompson, the acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, representing the US; Edo Kazuya, Japan’s Deputy Director General for Asian and Oceania, and Justin Hayhurst, Australia’s Deputy Secretary for the Indo-Pacific, it added.

It also said that the Quad officials discussed holding an in-person summit of the Quad leaders by the end of this year.

Thursday’s meeting followed up the virtual Quad summit of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, Yoshihide Sugo of Japan and Scott Morrison of Australia, and US President Joe Biden held in March.

At the summit, India was given the key role of producing one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines for distribution in the region under a programme that will be financed by Japan and the US, with Australia providing the distribution logistics.

The statement from India on the meeting of the senior diplomats said that they reviewed the progress of the Quad vaccine programme and discussed “the wide-ranging impact of Covid-19 in the Indo-Pacific region, and the importance of collaborative efforts to contain the pandemic, ensure health security and a quick economic recovery”.

The situation in India’s neighbour Myanmar, where the military has blocked the democratically elected civilian leaders and jailed them, also figured during the meeting.

A statement on the meeting by the US State Department said the crisis was discussed and that they “reaffirmed the Quad’s strong support for ASEAN centrality”.

Taking up topics of Washington’s priorities, the statement said they discussed ways to advance cooperation in countering disinformation, promoting democracy and human rights.

None of the three statements on the meeting named China, whose threats to the region and beyond are the impetus for the four democracies to increase their level of cooperation.

But the China factor was noted in the US statement which spoke of “supporting countries vulnerable to coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific region”.

The statement from Tokyo noted that the situation in the East and South China Seas was discussed.

China has been carrying out belligerent actions directed at Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Malaysia in that area.

Japan’s statement added that the vision for a “free and open” Indo-Pacific was gaining momentum beyond the region in the post-Covid world.

“This vision has spread in the international community, including ASEAN and Europe,” it said, adding that the officials “reaffirmed the importance of broadening cooperation with more countries for its further achievement”.

ALSO READ-US, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan to form quad group

READ MORE-Quad partnership ‘sets the tone’ for Blinken’s India visit

Previous Story

India won’t recognise govt imposed by force in Afghanistan: US

Next Story

MEA official in Doha for talks on Afghan peace process

Latest from -Top News

UN Slams Pakistan Over Minority Attacks

The minorities in Pakistan – including Ahmadiyya Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Shia Muslims – continue to be neglected and increasingly subjected to targetted state-backed persecution….reports Asian Lite News Alarmed by rising violence

Cambodia-Thailand Agree to Truce

The border violence has claimed at least 35 lives and left more than 200 injured, based on figures from Thai and Cambodian officials….reports Asian Lite News Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to

Baloch Activist Thanks India, Slams Pakistan Terror

Mir Yar Baloch also appreciated the extraordinary courage and professionalism of the Indian Armed Forces, the “responsible and patriotic role” of the Indian media…reports Asian Lite News Prominent Baloch human rights activist

UK Warns China Over Taiwan Moves

Healey’s comments come amid rising global concerns over Chinese military activity around Taiwan and the growing Western focus on the Indo-Pacific region. British Defence Secretary John Healey has said the UK is

US Sticks to August 1 Tariff Deadline

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick ruled out any possibility of an extension…reports Asian Lite News The US administration on Sunday said the August 1 deadline for imposing reciprocal tariffs remains unchanged and
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Quad partnership ‘sets the tone’ for Blinken’s India visit

Blinken is scheduled to travel to New Delhi and Kuwait

Blinken, Jaishankar to hold bilateral meeting in Melbourne

United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and