Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting - US-Japan-Australia Defence Cooperation - Rising Tensions in the SCS
Quad Foreign Ministers to Meet
According to informed sources, the foreign ministers of the Quad countries — US Secretary of State Blinken, Australian Minister Wong, Japanese Minister Yoshimasa, and Indian Minister Jaishankar — will likely meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month. The ministers are “expected to deliberate on ways to further boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific under the framework of the coalition.”
The 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit was held in Hiroshima in May earlier this year when all four leaders – Indian PM Modi, Japanese PM Kishida, Australian PM Albanese, and US President Biden met. In March this year, the foreign ministers had also met for the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
India will be hosting the Quad Summit in 2024.
Then, we have a bunch of news items concerning defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific…
Australia to Buy US Missile Systems in $ 975 Million Deal
Australia to buy M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) for $975 million. Pat Conroy, Australian Minister for Defence Industry, said:
Australia is investing in enhanced long-range capabilities across all domains, which will deliver a persistent, long-range, all-weather, rapid response capability that is operationally deployable and tactically mobile.
This new acquisition will help enhance Australia’s defence capability and deepen its interoperability with the US, its close military ally, as tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific region.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson said:
Australia [would] use the capability to strengthen its homeland defense and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The system is intended to engage and defeat artillery, air defence concentrations, trucks, and light armour and personnel carriers, as well as support troop and supply concentrations. The system launches its weapons and moves away from the area at high speed before enemy forces locate the launch site.
Australia, the US, Japan, and the Philippines plan a joint navy exercise in the South China Sea
Australia, Japan, the US, and the Philippines held joint naval exercises in the South China Sea off the western Philippines this week to uphold their commitment to maritime rules-based order and maintenance of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. This exercise is in the aftermath of the Chinese coast guard firing water cannons at Filipino coast guard vessels carrying supplies for its military personnel stationed at the Spratly Islands on 5th August.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said:
The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces — including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea — would invoke US mutual defence commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's largest helicopter carrier, the Izumo, and its Samidare destroyer took part in the drills, the Japanese ministry said.
The U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship Mobile, Australia's amphibious assault ship Canberra, frigate Anzac and F-35A fighter jets, as well as the Philippine Navy's landing ship Davao Del Sur were the others involved in the exercises, the Ministry said.
Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines held their first-ever defense ministerial meeting in June in Singapore, agreeing to strengthen security cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Concerning these tensions, the Philippines and Australia also decided to conduct joint (bilateral) maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea.
The Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said that the patrols were aimed at ensuring the maintenance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, “especially a rules-based international order”.
Australia earlier had also reaffirmed its strong support for The Hague’s 2016 ruling that invalidated China’s nine-dash line, virtually claiming the entire South China Sea.
More on defence cooperation…but before that:
Japan and the US will develop Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI)
On 18 August, Japan’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense jointly announced their collaboration to develop the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI). The announcement was made on the sidelines of the US, Japan and South Korea Trilateral Summit hosted by the US President at Camp David. GPI is a state-of-the-art missile technology that is programmed to destroy incoming hypersonic projectiles during their glide (unpowered) phase of flight, between the launch phase and the terminal phase. The GPI is a missile defence program that is designed to destroy incoming hypersonic missiles during their glide (unpowered) phase of flight, between the launch phase and the terminal phase.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson said:
The development of a counter-hypersonic capability is a pressing need for both countries to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including the emergence of offensive hypersonic and other sophisticated missile capabilities for potential acts of coercion. The GPI co-development will build upon long-standing US-Japan missile defence co-operation and strengthen the alliance deterrence posture.
The Japanese Ministry of Defence Spokesperson said:
Due to repeated missile launches and progress in the development of hypersonic weapons around Japan, missile attacks on Japan have become a real threat. So, GPI is an urgent need.
The potential to reshape the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific presents new challenges and strategic uncertainties.
Why is this important?
Let’s take stock when it comes to the US-Japan-Australia trilateral. The AUSMIN dialogue indicates an enhanced commitment by the three countries in the realm of defence — the joint statement of the US, Australia, and Japan Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting held earlier this year in June noted several important initiatives and postures:
The principals expressed concern about rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and North Korean nuclear threats to the region. The joint statement also noted a range of trilateral activities, including conducting trilateral F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training in Australia, and boosting strategic capabilities cooperation across domains like intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), undersea warfare, and integrated air and missile defence (IAMD).
While the trilateral joint statement does not mention working with India — the Quad partner — in the domain of defence cooperation, the AUSMIN consultations’ joint statement released in July earlier this year — between Australia and the United States — mentions working towards “deepening cooperation” with partners, including India, “...noting the dividend for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific”. The joint statement also mentions working with like-minded partners towards maritime domain awareness in the Pacific region.
Curator: Bharat Sharma
Contributors: Bharat Sharma, Kingshuk Saha