China reacts to Quad push, says regional cooperation should not target ‘third party’

China reiterated on 26 May its stance on the Quad group, saying that cooperation among countries should contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity and should not target any third party, news agency Reuters said.

"We also do not support the formation of exclusive cliques or bloc confrontation. No cooperation should undermine mutual trust and cooperation among regional countries," China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, was quoted by Reuters as saying during a daily press conference.

The reaction comes as four Quad nations, India, the United States, Australia and Japan, unveiled an ambitious push to strengthen energy security, resilient supply chains and maritime cooperation across the Indo-Pacific amid disruptions in global energy markets.

China has consistently opposed the Quad, viewing it as an exclusionary bloc aimed at containing its economic and military influence in the Indo-Pacific.

The US Secretary of State Rubio said in his statement that the Quad has decided to roll out a new initiative to boost port infrastructure in the Pacific Islands.

"We're announcing plans to work with Fiji to advance that country's port infrastructure. It'll be the first time that the Quad partners work together on a port infrastructure project," Rubio said adding that the initiative would be “a practical demonstration of our collective ability to deliver high-quality, resilient infrastructure”.

Fiji had previously explored port and shipbuilding modernisation deals with China under its Belt and Road Initiative. Beijing is reportedly annoyed that Fiji is pivoting to Western security partners for strategic port developments after previously courting Chinese investment.

In a joint statement issued after the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, the grouping reaffirmed its shared vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” anchored in secure trade routes, stable energy systems and stronger regional resilience.

The joint statement said that the leaders highlighted the importance of regional initiatives to strengthen energy resilience, including financial assistance to Pacific island countries (including AUD30 million in budget support to Fiji).

The Quad meeting was chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

The four leaders acknowledged that disruptions in global oil, gas and petrochemical markets have disproportionately affected Indo-Pacific nations, particularly vulnerable developing countries and small island states in the Pacific.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, is a grouping of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained through talks among its members.

The dialogue is widely perceived as a diplomatic arrangement responding to China's growing economic and political power.

The grouping was first initiated in 2007 by the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the support of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, India's then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US Vice President Dick Cheney.

(With agency inputs)