Blinken and envoys from Japan, Australia and India work to improve maritime safety in Asia-Pacific

TOKYO (AP) — Top diplomats from Japan, the U.S., Australia and India meeting Monday in Tokyo compiled a set of measures to reinforce maritime safety and cybersecurity and to support other Asia-Pacific countries in improving their defenses during growing tensions in the regional seas.

After the meeting, host Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmayam Jaishankar said they were “seriously concerned” about the tensions and expressed “strong opposition” to unilateral changes to the status quo by coercion.

They noted “the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea” as examples, but carefully avoided identifying China in their joint statement.

Several regional governments dispute China’s sweeping territorial claims over the South China Sea, which has crucial maritime trade routes and potential energy reserves. It also claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.

At what are known as the Quad talks, the four ministers agreed on a number of initiatives to counter cyberattacks, ensure maritime security and deal with disinformation. They also announced expanded support for other countries, including in Southeast Asia and Pacific islands, to bolster their abilities in those areas as the Quad seek to expand its partnerships.

The ministers plan to launch a maritime legal dialogue to focus on the international law of the sea. They said they were determined to contribute to maintaining and developing free-and-open maritime order consistent with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea in the Indian and the Pacific