India, Australia slam China for criticising QUAD; aver 'it is based on practical agenda'

In a scathing attack against China's remarks on the QUAD summit, India and Australia echoed that the meeting was "not against anything" and added that the group's main aim is to build resilience and promote a region without the threat of coercion or intimidation.

While addressing a joint press conference with Australian FM Marise Payne, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said the group's record and stance on its positive agenda are fairly clear and criticizing it "doesn't make it less credible".

"Our record, actions and stance are fairly clear. Criticizing it repeatedly doesn't make us less credible," Jaishankar said during the joint press on Saturday.

On the other hand, Payne said that the QUAD is about building confidence, resilience and "about promoting a region in which all countries are able to be and feel sovereign and secure without the threat of coercion or intimidation. Notably, the comments from both the ministers came a day after China said it believes that the Quad group "cobbled together" by the US, Japan, India and Australia is a "tool for containing and besieging China".

While addressing a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Minister spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said, "It aims to stoke confrontation and undermine international solidarity and cooperation."

Quad bolstered cooperation in areas including economy and security

Meanwhile, reacting to the claims made by Chinese FM spokesperson, Payne said, "We have a really practical agenda, which is evidenced by our support of access to vaccines, over 500 million vaccines delivered under the Quad leaders commitments on vaccination."

It is worth mentioning the comments from the Chinese side came soon after the QUAD ministers held a joint conference in Australia's Melbourne. During the meeting, the diplomats of the US, Australia, India and Japan bolstered cooperation in areas including economy, security, coronavirus pandemic and free and open Indo-Pacific.

The diplomats also reiterated that both the countries shared concerns about issues of terrorism and extremism. "We have serious concerns about continuing cross border terrorism and it is our shared endeavour to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation including in the multilateral fora," said Jaishankar.

With inputs from ANI

Image: AP