Quad Becoming A Greater Nightmare For China Than Wuhan Virus
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar
Indian Minister of External Affairs Shri Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Shri Mike Pompeo held talks with their counterparts from Australia and Japan – China is now completely rattled because the QUAD has issued no Joint statements after their closed door meeting in Tokyo. It implies that days of mere rhetoric are over, now they mean business.
During the group’s first in-person meeting since the outbreak of Wuhan Virus, Pompeo said it was critical now for the US’ regional allies in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the Communist Party of China’s exploitation, coercion and corruption in the South and East China seas, the Mekong, the Himalayas, and the Taiwan Straits.
Meanwhile, other Quad members have been cautious. After separate bilateral meetings with Pompeo on the sidelines of the Quad gathering, Australian and Japanese Foreign Ministers Marise Payne and Toshimitsu Motegi gave out their own briefings.
The US, has military alliance treaties with Japan and Australia, though now they want India to lead this grouping to boost not only the alliance but be able to checkmate China completely. However, such a goal is difficult as India will not like to join any formal military alliance. However it will not rule out very close military cooperation as was done between India and Soviet Union in 1971. The Indo Soviet Treaty had completely checkmate USA, NATO and even China.
India will just not join any military alliance. However it is likely to play a major role as a joint Cooperator in Quad and also cooperate with ASEAN countries in keeping both the Indo Pacific and Indian Ocean Region completely safe. Under the present government led by Modi, India is full of confidence and will not hesitate in defending its National Interest against anybody whatsoever.Also, New Delhi is already on its way to become a leading power with strong nationalism in its public opinion.
Japan too is a normal democratic state and a major power to be reckoned with. Historically, it has been following USA in diplomacy. Yet Japan won’t cling too tightly to Washington and will rather have some room for adjustment of its policies. Moreover, both of Japan’s goals, be it to become a normal state or seek major power status, need the support of India and Australia to be realized.
On the Taiwan question. Japan has endorsed the US posturing. For Japan, the South China Sea affairs and the Taiwan question are very important as it affects its own southbound shipping lines, and China cannot be permitted any move to obstruct normal maritime navigation in the waters.
Australia is also a close ally of the US. However Now it also wants to ally closely with both India and Japan so as to ensure its own security and enhance its global Importance by promoting the Quad alliance. Australia with its small population is already being coerced by China with an economic WAR just because it wanted the WUHAN VIRUS spread probed by UNO.
Though US idea of formalizing the Quad into a NATO-like alliance, will not fructify as India will just refuse to join any such military block. NATO is a military alliance.
