On August 12th, 2021 Senior Officials from four democracies - Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. - met virtually to discuss Quad initiatives on economic recovery, maritime security, and human rights that promote a free and open IndoPacific region.
The four democracies acknowledged that global security and prosperity depends on the region remaining inclusive, resilient, and healthy.
The officials examined ways to advance ongoing cooperation on numerous topics of mutual interest, including strategic challenges confronting the region, countering disinformation, promoting democracy and human rights, strengthening international institutions including the United Nations and related organizations, and supporting countries vulnerable to coercive actions in the Indo-Pacific region
- They discussed the importance of sustained international cooperation to end the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indo-Pacific and to promote economic recovery.
- The senior officials discussed the importance of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, the ongoing crisis in Burma, and reaffirmed the Quad's strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
- They welcomed the opportunity to continue regular consultations at the ministerial, senior official, and working levels and to hold a second Leaders’ Summit this fall.
Senior Officials from four democracies involved in this discussion were.
- Australia: Mr. Justin Hayhurst, Deputy Secretary (Indo-Pacific Group) and Dr. Lauren Bain, Assistant Secretary, ASEAN and Regional Architecture Branch, from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- India: Ms. Vani Rao, Joint Secretary (Americas) and Mr. Naveen Srivastava, Additional Secretary (East Asia), from Ministry of External Affairs.
- Japan: Mr. OKANO Masataka, Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy and Mr. ENDO Kazuya, Deputy Director General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- U.S.: Mr. Richard Buangan, Acting Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State and Mr. Dean Thompson, Acting Assistant Secretary (South and Central Asian Affairs), from Department of State.
