Uncertainties linger over how U.S. promotion of Quad will play out

Why isn't South Korea in that list? If they can't be, then perhaps the US needs to pull troops out of there.

"The thing that has brought all these countries together (on the vaccination production) is an insistence on providing practical, concrete help to people in need," a senior U.S. administration official said.

"And so if the Quad cannot do that, if it can't address constructively these issues, we will quickly lose relevance and will be strategically insignificant," he said.

The "kinder and gentler" face of the Biden admin rhetoric.

The pandemic and this "Quad" entente is the beginning of the "Great Game" with China.

@theFu

I've asked that question myself about S. Korea.

A country with mandatory military service, millions of soldiers trained.

Military budget similar to Japan, yet half the population, 1/8 the area to defend.

No Article 9 for S. Korea, no pacifist constitution, no restrictions on what weapons they can own.

South Korea expects full support if anyone attacks them, yet they refuse to return the favor to keep the peace in East Asia.

They are in a win-win-win situation, get all the benefits, none of the burden on China. None of the risk if it's escalates.

Basically these four countries will erode their citizens rights and freedoms because of the “China threat”.

It's really the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca at issue here. The US provides coordination and military heft, Japan its launching board, and Australia and India act as pincers. Seems quite effective as, if functioning as planned, the Quad could bring China to its knees within months without major violence, and China knows this. SK isn't needed, the Senkakus are irrelevant, and SE Asian countries too unstable. One just hope India gets its act together as it's the linchpin.

The name is going to hold it back from having any ideals or future. Surely there are more than four countries who want to stand up to China.

Quad and friends has a ring to it.

theFuToday  07:52 am JST

Why isn't South Korea in that list? If they can't be, then perhaps the US needs to pull troops out of there.

A couple of reasons come to mind. Korea has always historically existed in the shadow of more powerful nations by ensuring their survival by talking out both ends at the same time. Another reason is simply that South Korea can not be trusted to be part of the Quad. Another is that the SK is not economically and military significant enough to be invited. All things considred, the Quad is better off without South Korea.

I agree the Quad should not be over hyped, it has a useful role to play but is not the only game in town. It’s roots are in disaster response and that is a good starting point today to work out it’s structure and inter-party communication but with a view to its other aspect of helping to manage the aggression of the CCP, along with other affected non members.

Four democracies and one brutal dictatorship.

The dictatorship is in the midst of committing a Genocide and countries still wonder which side to choose.

Reminds of the 1930s............

Why isn't South Korea in that list?

That would make five nations and the name would go from the Quad to the Pentagon. That might cause some confusion. Quad + 1? The Indo-Pacific five?

Basically these four countries will erode their citizens rights and freedoms because of the “China threat”.

No, China will continue to erode it's citizens rights while the rights of the Quad members continue to be enshrined in law and enforced by majority will. No basis to think otherwise.

Quad and friends has a ring to it.

There you go.

Another reason is simply that South Korea can not be trusted to be part of the Quad.

I do not agree. There is no logical reason to mistrust South Korea in such a forum. (Japan/South Korea issues do not justify such a comment from the perspective of the other nations).

Why isn't South Korea in that list? If they can't be, then perhaps the US needs to pull troops out of there.

South Korea politely declined as they now sided with China to achieve the reunification of Korea.

I agree the Quad should not be over hyped, it has a useful role to play but is not the only game in town. It’s roots are in disaster response and that is a good starting point today to work out it’s structure and inter-party communication but with a view to its other aspect of helping to manage the aggression of the CCP, along with other affected non members.

Without hard support from ASEAN and Vietnam, QUAD has already failed. Indonesia and Vietnam both have an interest in keeping the sea lanes of the Indo-Pacific to themselves. They may not like China but they don't like the West either. If China offers its own FOIP deal to the ASEAN, most of the ASEAN nations will likely take it. China is someone willing to negotiate to achieve certain political gains, while the USA is one hell of a stubborn superpower that refuses to negotiate anything that doesn't 100% benefit the Americans.

It's really the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca at issue here. The US provides coordination and military heft, Japan its launching board, and Australia and India act as pincers. Seems quite effective as, if functioning as planned, the Quad could bring China to its knees within months without major violence, and China knows this. SK isn't needed, the Senkakus are irrelevant, and SE Asian countries too unstable. One just hope India gets its act together as it's the linchpin.

Who do you think it's controlling all waterways in Southeast Asia? Hmm. ASEAN, of course. India or the US can't simply waltz in the turfs of ASEAN without any consequence.

I do not agree. There is no logical reason to mistrust South Korea in such a forum. (Japan/South Korea issues do not justify such a comment from the perspective of the other nations).

The anti-Korean crowds in this site and Japan are ridiculous for many years now. Anyway, Koreans don't even care about the QUAD as they now focus on achieving their reunification.

Peter14Today  06:59 pm JST

Another reason is simply that South Korea can not be trusted to be part of the Quad.

I do not agree. There is no logical reason to mistrust South Korea in such a forum. (Japan/South Korea issues do not justify such a comment from the perspective of the other nations).

Sorry but you really need to grasp where South Korea stands vis-a-vis China.

"President Moon Jae-in speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Oct. 6. Struggling to cope with the U.S.-China rivalry, the Moon administration has faced concerns that it may be unprepared for a burgeoning debate over Korea's role in a possible "Quad plus" framework. Yonhap"

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/10/356_297283.html

"This shows that Seoul hopes the Quad will be a more open group instead of an exclusive one that targets China. "

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1218150.shtml

As a Malaysian. We're fine, we got the Five Power Defense Agreement with UK, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. All 4 of these countries also close to America. America itself had close military ties to Thailand, Vietnam dan Philippines separately.

Its matter on how to deal with the dilemma right now over the regional issues.

while the USA is one hell of a stubborn superpower that refuses to negotiate anything that doesn't 100% benefit the Americans.

The American voter is harshly unforgiving of any politician who is seen as having advocated anything seen as weakening the US vis-a-vis its adversaries.

Without hard support from ASEAN and Vietnam, QUAD has already failed.

Thailand is a client state of China, relying on them for trade, tourism and military hardware. They are no longer aligned with the US and the west but rather with China. Cambodia is even more closely aligned with China as they are heavily reliant on China for development projects and investments in businesses there. The same could be said of Laos. Both Laos and Cambodia publicly support China's imposition of their security laws on Hong Kong. And while people in Myanmar burn Chinese factories in their country while fighting to overturn the recent military coup, their military government is in no position to contribute to the Quad. Malaysia has publicly stated they thought China was not a threat to anyone in the South China Sea. In August 2013, Malaysian minister suggested that it might work with China over their South China Sea claims and ignore the other claimants, with its Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein saying that Malaysia had no problem with China patrolling the South China Sea, and telling ASEAN, America, and Japan that "Just because you have enemies, doesn’t mean your enemies are my enemies". Philippines has similarly ambivalent relations with China, depending on them for investment and business opportunities. The current Philippine president has made relations with China a priority at the expense of relations with the US. That basically leaves Indonesia and possibly Vietnam to join the Quad, noting that Indonesia has deliberately refused to criticize China on their treatment of the Uyghurs calling it an internal affair of China. This from a largely Muslim nation.

OssanAmerica

Sorry but you really need to grasp where South Korea stands vis-a-vis China

I understand that China along with North Korea tried to destroy South Korea and it was a United Nations force led by the US that saved them. I know that there are tens of thousands of US troops permanently stationed in South Korea backing up the military alliance they have. China has no troops in South Korea and no military alliance with them. That is the reality. The only way South Korea will go is in the US direction in the event of future hostilities making them a suitable addition to the Quad and in no way is there reason to doubt their trustworthiness from America's perspective. It is only here on JT forum where suspicions abound between Japan and South Korea, none of which has relevance to the Quad or its goals.

A dominant China is not in South Korean interests as it's continued alliance with North Korea could spell the end of their freedom at some point in the future, so that a unified Korea (at gun point) ruled by Kim or his successor ends the US presence on the peninsula and pushes the US forces further from Chinese territory. Any move to push the US from South Korea by the South Koreans is detrimental to their freedom and future. It just will not happen, no matter how unreliable those in Japan believe them to be.