China Slams Quad 'Small Circles' as Top Diplomats Convene in New Delhi
"We do not support exclusive 'small circles' or bloc confrontation, and no cooperation should undermine mutual trust and cooperation among countries in the region," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news briefing as the Quad's top diplomats met on Tuesday.
"We have always believed that cooperation between countries should help promote regional peace, stability and prosperity and should not target any third party," she added.
The ministerial meeting in New Delhi was hosted by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who welcomed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The four nations announced fresh initiatives spanning maritime surveillance, critical mineral supply chains, and energy security.
In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers said they "remain seriously concerned about the situation" in the disputed South China Sea and the East China Sea, adding: "We reiterate our strong opposition to any destabilizing or unilateral actions, including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region."
Originally established in 2007, the Quad has significantly deepened its cooperation in recent years against the backdrop of escalating tensions with China across the Indo-Pacific.
Mao also took direct aim at Japan, responding to remarks by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who had insisted Tokyo's "exclusively defense-oriented policy" remains intact and dismissed Chinese accusations of neo-militarism as baseless.
She urged Japan to "draw profound lessons from history, honor its commitment to peace and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions," before delivering a pointed closing rebuke:
"What Japan does matters far more than what it says."
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