On Tuesday (November 5), it was the US election day. Foreign ministers from Australia and India stated that regardless of which presidential candidate takes office in the White House, cooperation among the members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) – the United States, India, Australia, and Japan – will continue to advance.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday that she had met with the former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from the previous Trump administration before this US election and had engaged in “very in-depth discussions” with him.
She mentioned that “AUKUS is one of the priorities we need to discuss, and we are very pleased to see bipartisan support.” She was referring to the defense technology partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Under the AUKUS agreement, the US and UK will transfer nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
AUKUS was established in 2023 under the leadership of the Biden administration and is Australia’s most expensive defense project.
Minister Wong said, “Regarding the US election, whoever the American people choose, we will work with them.”
The Chinese authorities vehemently oppose the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, claiming that this “Quad” was established to contain China. However, Australia, Japan, India, and the US assert that they are like-minded democratic nations aiming to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In September of this year, the leaders of the Quad unanimously agreed to establish a joint Coast Guard patrol fleet and enhance military logistical cooperation.
Wong asserted that the Quad plays a crucial role in maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region. She added, “We believe that regardless of the outcome of the US election, its significance will not change.”
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue was established in 2007. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated that during the Trump administration in 2017, this quadrilateral partnership was revitalized.
“As we watch the US election, we are very confident,” said Jaishankar, who is currently on an official visit in Australia. “Regardless of the election results, our relationship with the US will only deepen.”
(Reference: Reuters)