Foreign ministers from the Quad alliance met in India on Friday, where they agreed to enhance cooperation and hinted at veiled criticism of China without directly mentioning its name.
Quad, short for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, includes Australia, India, Japan, and the United States making up its four members, and is considered a strategic response to China’s rising military power in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the latest meeting, the four nations emphasized the value of “freedom, rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” as well as the “peaceful settlement of disputes.”
The ministers also voiced concerns over Beijing’s current activities in the South China Sea and around Taiwan.
In response, Beijing accused the Quad of engaging in what it called “exclusive cliques.”
The four ministers said their nations don’t seek conflict with China.