“ Quad ” – In the Service of US Imperialism
Australia , Japan , India and US held a high level official meeting at Philippine capital Manila on 13- 11-2017 . They pledged to maintain “ rule-based order in the Indo- Pacific and respect the international law , freedom of navigation and over flight ”. The foreign ministry of Australia added that the four countries promised to uphold “ maritime security in the Pacific ” and even “ address threats ” including North Korea ’ s “ nuclear and missile programme ”. This quadrilateral meeting has been colloquially called and the “ quad ”.
Though they have not mentioned china by name , this Indo-Pacific bloc is intended to counter China ’ s growing influence and isolate it . This formation of a military and strategic bloc was first proposed in 2007 by the US imperialism during the joint naval exercised called Exercise Malabar ”, which was supported by Japan , Australia and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . As the China opposed the move in letter sent to the capitals of four countries asking who they were training to fight with , Australia withdrew . The proposal was kept in limbo .
By that time India and US formed a strategic partnership . It conducted joint naval exercises which were joined by Japan , Australia and Singapore . Since coming to power in 2014 , Narendra Modi government unabashedly declare that Washington is a strategic ally of India . It allowed to use its military facilities and ports by the US military under the Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement ( LEMOA ) signed in 2016 . The US imperialism turned India into a frontline state in its 10 hegemonic designs in Asia as a part of its policy of “ pivot to Asia ”.
Trump administration is for continuation of this policy . The Secretary of state Rex Tillerson in a lecture “ defining relationship with India for the next century ”, proposed addition of Australia to Indo-US-Japan initiatives to contain China . Now as the Australia asked for the formation of quad , it came into existence .
Obama administration coined the term “ Indo-Pacific ” in 2011 and launched pivot to Asia , which involved building up of military power in the region and use of arm-twisting to ensure that Japan , Australia and India collaborated with its aim to contain China .
The joint statement of quad used diplomatic jargon to disguise its confrontational stand to weaken China . The “ rule-based order ” means those dictated by the US dominated alliances and financial institutions . “ Freedom of navigation and over flight ” meaning challenging Chinese territorial claims in South China sea .
As regards South China Sea , there are untenable claims and counterclaims . It can only be resolved through dialogue between the concerned countries . The US has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of Sea . Yet it talks of rule-based order . It only means that whatever it dictates are the rules .
Freedom of navigation is also spurious argument . At present the US navy can choke off the trade flows in sea lines to South China sea . It only hurts China . And for this very reason , China will not disrupt sea trade . The US wants its military intervention to masquerade as an act of protecting freedom .
The four countries also agreed “ to work together to address the challenges of countering terrorism ”. Countering terrorism is the justification for the US imperialism to intervene in the countries of this region .
The policy of the Indian government of tailing behind the US imperialism is fraught with dangers . India ’ s participation in the quad would deal a body blow to Sino-Indian relations . The bilateral issues that can be resolved through dialogue gets complicated and becomes bone of contention . Among the four , only India has land border with China and it is a long standing dispute between them . The other two members – Japan and Australia- have treaty relation with the US – that is in the event of any attack on them , the US have to stand with them . India has no such treaty . In contrast , India has to share the burden of defence of other three members .
The quad tied India to the hegemonic plans of the US imperialism and dragging India onto the side of US imperialism in the event of a conflict . This is detrimental to the interests of the country and people .
The Indian ministry of External Affairs said it had “ agreed that free , open , prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long term interests of all the countries in the region and the world at large ” This is nothing but self-deception and deceiving people . It only helps US imperialism to stabilise its military and economic empire in the region .
Every sane Indian should oppose the Indian participation in the “ quad ” and demand to withdraw from it .
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Class Struggle