In a move seen as countering China’s growing clout in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States has launched a new multilateral security forum called SQUAD, comprising the U.S., Japan, the Philippines, and Australia. The formation of the group comes amid heightened tensions over maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
The SQUAD forum, an acronym for the four participating nations, aims to bolster cooperation on regional security matters and uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific. U.S. officials have stated that the alliance is focused on maintaining freedom of navigation, overflight, and other internationally recognized principles.
“The establishment of SQUAD represents our steadfast commitment to an open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” said a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. “Through enhanced coordination and capacity building, we will work to ensure stability and deter coercion in this vital part of the world.”China has voiced strong opposition to the new grouping, accusing the U.S. of meddling in regional affairs and fueling tensions over the South China Sea disputes. Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly all of the resource-rich sea, through which trillion dollars in shipping trade passes annually.”
The formation of this exclusive bloc is a naked attempt by the U.S. to incite division, undermine regional peace and stability, and infringe on China’s territorial integrity,” said a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry. “We urge the countries involved to abandon this Cold War mentality and instead embrace cooperation and mutual respect.
“The Philippines, which has sparred with China over the Spratly and Scarborough Shoal islands in the South China Sea, welcomed the SQUAD forum as a way to uphold international law. “As a nation committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes, we see value in cooperating with like-minded nations to safeguard maritime rights and freedoms,” a Philippine official stated.Japan’s participation in SQUAD is viewed as reflecting its concerns over China’s growing assertiveness in the regional seas.
Tokyo has its own long-running feud with Beijing over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea. Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has also expressed worries about China’s military buildup and its alleged disregard for international maritime rules.Analysts say the SQUAD forum could potentially expand to include other nations such as India, the U.K, and France, which also have significant interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, it remains to be seen how the new bloc will operate and interact with existing frameworks like ASEAN.”The creation of yet another regional grouping could raise fears of worsening geopolitical divides and potential military escalation,” cautioned Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. “All sides must exercise prudence and ensure there are open lines of communication to avoid miscalculation.
“As the U.S. and China continue to vie for influence in the Indo-Pacific, the SQUAD forum is poised to become a new flashpoint in the already fraught great power rivalry. Managing tensions and establishing clear rules of engagement will be crucial to maintaining stability in the region.
