Quad’s strategic move: New minerals pact and Fiji port

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the diplomatic success. „The Quad Critical Minerals Cooperation Framework will help us leverage economic policy tools and coordinate investments to strengthen critical mineral supply chains, including extraction, processing, and recycling,” he stated.

Cooperation in port infrastructure and a maritime surveillance initiative, which will involve intensified information sharing between the parties, were also announced. The foreign ministers of the Quad nations unanimously condemned attacks on merchant vessels and expressed concern over the situation in the East China Sea and the ongoing militarisation of the South China Sea.

Beijing responded to these reports on Tuesday, noting that cooperation between countries should promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. „We do not support the creation of exclusive cliques or confrontational blocs. No cooperation should undermine mutual trust and cooperation between countries,” stated Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a press conference.

The Quad format (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) brings together nations interested in cooperation for maritime security, supply chains, and regional strategy in the face of expanding Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own. It is modernising its fleet and building artificial islands at sea, which enables it to control trade routes and gain access to local resources.