A couple of weeks after the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) – an informal strategic dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the US – made a diplomatic arrangement to boost strategic exchanges in the Indo-Pacific Region; China and Russia hit out at US blocs, proposing a new regional security dialogue platform!

Both Beijing and Moscow have strongly criticised Washington DC for calling for “a rules-based order” (a call endorsed by the recent Quad Summit), announcing that they would soon set up a new Regional Security Dialogue Platform in order to address security concerns of countries in the Indo-Pacific Region. The two friendly nations made the announcement after the recent meeting between Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the southern Chinese city of Guilin. The two Ministers made it clear that they would never allow the US to form “small circles to seek bloc confrontation”. It is clear from this sort of announcement that both China and Russia are viewing the grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the US warily.

In a joint Press Release, Wang and Lavrov stressed: “The two sides also proposed the establishment of a regional security dialogue platform to converge a new consensus on resolving the security concerns of countries in the region.” The Release added: “The International Community believes that the US should reflect on the damage it has done to global peace and development in recent years, halt unilateral bullying, stop meddling in other countries’ domestic affairs, and stop forming small circles to seek bloc confrontation.” It may be noted that China, Russia and India are members of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) security grouping.

Beijing and Moscow further urged all the countries to keep in mind the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN and to “uphold true multilateralism, make international relations more democratic, and accept and promote peaceful coexistence and common development of countries with different social systems and development paths”. China stated that it was firmly opposed to the Quad alliance, asking Washington DC to refrain from making “troubles out of nothing”, and do more to contribute to regional Peace and Stability.

Experts are of the opinion that the Quad’s decision to bolster security co-operation among the four members has put China under tremendous pressure. Hence, Beijing has sought Moscow’s support to maintain the Balance of Power in the Indo-Pacific Region. During their two-day meeting, the Foreign Ministers of China and Russia also discussed various important global issues, including the ongoing peace process in Afghanistan, the Iranian nuclear issue, climate change and the recent coup in Myanmar. On the coup, they “voiced support for all parties in Myanmar to seek a political solution to the current crisis within the constitution and legal framework, avoid further conflict and bloodshed, prevent external forces from taking advantage of the crisis for their own gains, and continue to advance the democratic transition“.

According to sources close to Beijing, Wang and Lavrov called for a summit of five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, mainly to discuss ways to ensure global peace and stability. The official Website of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated: “At a time of increasing global political turbulence, a summit of the permanent members of the UN Security Council is particularly necessary to establish direct dialogue about ways to resolve humankind’s common problems in the interests of maintaining global stability.” The Government of Russia also condemned attempts made by the West to interfere in bilateral affairs. It criticised the US and the European Union (EU) for imposing sanctions on Russia and China.

Meanwhile, South Korean Defence Minister Suh Wook has claimed that stability in the Indo-Pacific Region is the security key for the world. Wook, who arrived in the Indian capital on March 25 to bolster bilateral defence ties, told the Indian media: “The Indo-Pacific constitutes 60% of the world’s population and is also a dynamic region through which 47% of world trade transits. Stability and security of the Indo-Pacific is absolutely critical for prosperity of the entire world. In the recent past, natural disasters, maritime accidents and crimes have increased in the region, apart from the advent of transnational threats, such as COVID-19. There is an increasing trend of regional states pushing policies that put their nations first.”

It seems that the US’ proximity with Australia, India and Japan has irked both China and Russia in a changing Global Geopolitical landscape. That is why they have proposed a new regional security dialogue platform in an attempt to maintain the equilibrium…

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/boundlessoceanofpolitics/

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/kousdas?s=09

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/boundless-ocean-of-politics

Contact us: koushik@boundlessoceanofpolitics.co.in

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das