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Japan, the United States, Australia and India– the grouping called the Quad– are considering holding talks including their foreign ministers in mid-February in Australia, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.The event of the ministers, if realized, would be their very first in-person meeting given that October 2020, taking place ahead of a summit of the Quad nations leaders that Japan prepares to host in spring with the goal of more showcasing the 4 Indo-Pacific democracies deepening ties amidst Chinas rising influence in the region.Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar are expected to participate in the talks. The conference might be switched to a virtual format depending upon the COVID-19 scenario, the sources said.Among likely program products for the conference are members cooperation in such fields as security and the economy towards realizing a “open and free Indo-Pacific,” and issues over Beijings military assertiveness in the East and South China seas, according to the sources.The ministers are likewise expected to confirm development in their cooperation, settled on at the previous Quad top in Washington in September, in facilities structure in the Indo-Pacific area, usage of outer area and bolstering of the semiconductor supply chain, the sources said.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to hold the next Quad top in Japan in spring during their bilateral virtual conference on Friday.The 4 nations plan to hold their leaders fulfilling every year.
IMAGE GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE).
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