The leaders strongly affirmed their belief that upholding international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as ensuring peace, safety, security, and stability in the maritime domain, should remain the highest priority.
Wilmington (Delaware): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday convened for the 4th in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware. During the meeting, they voiced serious concerns over coercive and intimidating actions in the South China Sea.
In their joint declaration, the leaders of the US, India, Australia, and Japan expressed opposition to attempts aimed at disrupting other nations’ offshore resource exploitation activities. They also reaffirmed that maritime disputes should be settled peacefully and in accordance with international law.
The Quad Wilmington Declaration said, “We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We continue to express our serious concern about the militarisation of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea. We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including the increasing use of dangerous manoeuvres. We also oppose efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS”
The leaders strongly affirmed their belief that upholding international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as ensuring peace, safety, security, and stability in the maritime domain, should remain the highest priority.
The Quad Wilmington Declaration said, “We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of UNCLOS and reaffirm that UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and the seas must be carried out. We underscore that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties,” it further added.
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