New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday that the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting showcases "an unshakable and firm message" to the world that the grouping will promote practical cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific.

In his opening remarks at the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, Motegi mentioned his special fondness for the Quad meeting.

"I want to thank Jai for hosting this meeting. Back in 2019 September, when I was a Foreign Minister for the last time, the inaugural Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held. So, I have special fondness for the Quad Meeting. This is the 11th meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministerial, and this meeting signifies an unshakable and firm message to the world that the Quad will strongly promote practical cooperation to realise free and open Indo-Pacific....and there have been structural changes happening in the international order."

"It has been just 10 years since the FOIP (Free and Open Indo-Pacific) was advocated, and there have been structural changes happening in the international order. In order to respond to those changes of time, Prime Minister Takaichi has stated that the point of the update of FOIP is that the Indo-Pacific nations should strengthen resilience and the necessary capacity to determine their own future, including their economic security. Today I hope to have a frank discussion, including her perspective, to accelerate the Quad cooperation," he added.

The Quad comprises Australia, India, Japan and the United States, and focuses on strengthening cooperation across key sectors including maritime security, resilient supply chains, critical minerals, infrastructure development, disaster relief and emerging technologies.

In his opening remarks at the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, EAM Jaishankar stated, "Meeting for the third time in less than 18 months, we will be discussing and deciding our shared activities. Obviously, that will take into account the many challenges and opportunities in the world. Our focus will clearly be on the Indo-Pacific, which is the specific limit of the Quad."

EAM Jaishankar said that the ministers need to address supply chain resilience, connectivity choke points, manufacturing and resource concentrations and gaps in critical infrastructure.

He stated that officials of the Quad in the past several months have advanced collaboration across key core priorities, including maritime security, critical technologies, economic resilience and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

"At the global level, we have to address supply chain resilience, connectivity choke points, manufacturing and resource concentrations and gaps in critical infrastructure. Each one of them offers a new argument for more partnerships, stronger growth and realising the promise of technologies. The Indo-Pacific has, in addition, its own particular concerns. This will require enhancing strategic confidence, ensuring maritime security, promoting economic choices, and fostering a deeper collaborative ethos, and that is best done by promoting trusted and transparent partnerships," EAM Jaishankar said.

"Over the past several months, our officials have advanced collaboration across key core priorities, including maritime security, critical technologies, economic resilience and HADR. We have seen encouraging progress on many initiatives. As maritime democracies, pluralistic societies and market economies, we share the responsibility towards a free and open Indo-Pacific. The region must remain a driver for global growth and stability. We will be underlining that today, through our deliberations, which I am confident will be useful and productive," he added.

--IANS

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