China’s White Paper Indirectly Refers To ‘Quad’

Beijing: Without naming “Quad” - the informal grouping of the US, Japan, Australia and India in Beijing’s backyard, China’s white paper on defence released on Wednesday said competition in the Asia-Pacific is bringing uncertainties to regional security. The Chinese Defence Ministry issued the white paper outlining plans to build a high-tech Army and chided the US for “undermining the global strategic stability”.

“The world economic and strategic centre continues to shift towards the Asia-Pacific. The region has become a focus of major country competition, bringing uncertainties to regional security,” said the white paper titled “China’s National Defence in the New Era”. “Asia-Pacific countries are increasingly aware that they are members of a community with a shared destiny. Addressing differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation has become a preferred policy option for regional countries, making the region a stable part of the global landscape,” the document said.

What China calls Asia-Pacific has increasingly been referred to as “Indo-Pacific” by the US where it wants India, Japan and Australia to form a bloc to counter the flexing of muscles by Beijing in the region. (IANS)

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