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OPINION NOVEMBER 05, 2021 | The Indian Eye 14

evolving Idea of the Quad:

emerGInG teChnOlOGy

COVID-19 and the subsequent behaviour of China raised many questions regarding China’s commitment to rise
as a responsible international player. China’s tendency to weaponize trade and technology became obvious. China

punished Australia in the domain of trade as it demanded a fair enquiry into the origin of COVID-19

niranjan C. Oak

ver the years, the Quad-
rilateral Security Dia-
Ologue (Quad) has ex-
panded its agenda to adapt itself
to face the gen-next threats in
the Indo-Pacific, most notably
the emerging technology. The
Quad was created as an ad hoc
group to help the Indo-Pacific
littoral states in the aftermath of
the Tsunami in 2004. Although the Quad re-emerged on the statement post meeting, the is- ponize trade and technology
the first iteration of the Quad in sidelines of the 31st Associa- sues raised were similar to those became obvious. China pun-
2007 was short-lived, the latest tion of Southeast Asian Nations raised during the working-level ished Australia in the domain
iteration promises that Quad is (ASEAN) Summit and 12th East meetings. The first ministerial of trade as the latter demanded
here to stay for decades to come. Asia Summit in Manila, 2017. meeting saw a limited expan- a fair enquiry into the origin of
This inference can be reached Four working-level meetings— sion of the agenda as the Quad COVID-19. Moreover, reports
based on the expansive agenda November 2017, June 2018, No- countries “conducted a tabletop emerged about the Chinese
that the Quad has drawn for it- vember 2018 and May 2019—in- counter-terrorism exercise in quest to snoop the foreign gov-
self, which looks beyond narrow volving officials from the foreign November 2019 and convened a ernments by using 5G mobile
security calculations in the re- ministries of Delhi, Washington, meeting of cyber experts the fol- network technology and meddle
gion. The first in-person summit Tokyo and Canberra focused on lowing month”. As COVID-19 in the country’s internal affairs.
of the Quad leaders delved upon “a free, open, prosperous and in- gripped the world in early 2020, Earlier, in 2017, China enacted
not only the security situation in clusive Indo-Pacific region” ben- the senior officials’ consultation the National Intelligence Law
the Indo-Pacific but also multi- efitting all in the region and the of the four countries “under- that made it mandatory for the
ple areas, including the supply of world at large. They also touched scored the importance of en- Chinese firms to cooperate with
COVID-19 vaccines, climate cri- upon connectivity, sustainable hancing the resilience of supply its intelligence agencies by giving
sis, terrorism and emerging tech- development, counter-terrorism, chains” and added pandemic free access to their data within
nology. By making the emerging non-proliferation, humanitari- and best practices to deal with and without China. Thus, the law
technology one of the corner- an assistance and disaster relief the same in the agenda of the violated the digital sovereignty of
stones of the grouping, the Quad (HADR), cyber security and meeting. The second ministerial the nations where Chinese firms
has shown its resilience to stay ASEAN centrality. The separate meeting of the Quad in Tokyo, had market access in accordance
relevant in the fast-changing statements from the four cap- held in October 2020, discussed with the international law. In
strategic environment of the In- itals also mentioned about the “post COVID-19 international view of the Chinese threat in the
do-Pacific. Therefore, it is perti- respect for sovereignty, equality order” and issues related to “the realm of emerging technologies,
nent to look at the evolution of and territorial integrity of all na- resilience of supply chains” in the Quad proved deft enough to
the second iteration of the Quad tions in a transparent, econom- addition to the maritime security adapt to the new reality.
and how the minilateral is seam- ically viable and financially re- issues of the Indo-Pacific. The joint statement following
lessly synergising technology sponsible manner. the Quad leaders’ virtual summit
with its original agenda of secu- In September 2019, the work- emerGenCe OF in March 2021 mentioned “crit-
rity. ing-level meeting of the Quad teChnOlOGy as a ical technologies” three times.
was elevated to the ministeri- COrnerstOne The leaders resolved that the
eVOlutiOn OF the quaD al-level meeting when the Unit- COVID-19 and the sub- Quad “will begin cooperation on
Amid the belligerent be- ed States (US) Secretary of State sequent behaviour of China the critical technologies of the
haviour of China in the maritime Mike Pompeo hosted his coun- raised many questions regard- future to ensure that innovation
continuum of the Indo-Pacific terparts from India, Japan and ing China’s commitment to rise is consistent with a free, open,
and growing trust and comfort Australia in New York. Although as a responsible international inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pa-
between the four democracies, the leaders did not issue a joint player. China’s tendency to wea- Continued on next page... >>

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