Amid China tensions, Australia set to host Quad meeting of foreign ministers
- The two-day meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’s foreign ministers comes after Washington warned of China being ‘more assertive and aggressive’
- Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not specify a date for the meeting, but said she looked forward to welcoming her counterparts in the coming weeks
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne did not specify a date for the meeting, but said in a statement she looked forward to welcoming the Quad foreign ministers to Australia in coming weeks.
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“We are a vital network of liberal democracies cooperating to give our region strategic choices, with a focus on practical steps to build the resilience and sovereignty of all states,” Payne said.
The government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison is deepening Australia’s partnerships in the region amid “strategic competition, threats to liberal international order and increasing uncertainty”, she added.
Canberra officials hope the timing of the February meeting will allow Jaishankar to recover and return a negative test.
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Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is also expected to attend.