"Quad countries are major maritime partners," US State Department Deputy Spox says

Houston said that these countries understand the maritime issues that these countries face.

She said, "We heard from the four Quad partners in the joint statement that there are serious concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea... These four partners have focused on the fact that we want to see respect for the rule of the sea and freedom of navigation... The Quad countries are major maritime partners. They understand the vulnerabilities when freedom of navigation is not respected, which encompass illegal fishing, piracy, and activities related to transnational criminal organisations and the trafficking of drugs."

She added, "These are scores that are hurting the United States and our Quad partners and those in the Indo-Pacific. We're focused on ensuring that there is no coercion or force in this area, and that we see full respect in this area for the rule of the sea... It was listed twice in the joint statement, the unity, the commitment from the Quad partners to focus on maritime security."

The Quad countries have launched a Critical Minerals Initiative, which will focus particularly on mineral recovery, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. Foreign Ministers of the Quad countries also discussed regional issues in the Indo-Pacific and the Israel-Iran conflict.

Addressing a press conference here, Jaishankar said the discussions were largely devoted to enhancing delivery on various initiatives and projects.

"We launched the Quad Critical Minerals initiative and this would be focused particularly on the mineral recovery, which is very important for all of us. Second, there is the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network that was launched earlier in the year and we decided it will hold its field training exercise very soon...Then there is the Quad at Sea Ship Observer mission. This involves our coast guards...Then there is a maritime legal dialogue at the expert level which will be held virtually later this month," Jaishankar said. (ANI)