Washington, Jan 22 (PTI) In a move sending a strong signal to China, foreign ministers from Quad countries -- India, Australia, Japan and the United States -- in a joint statement on Tuesday strongly opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.

US Secretary of State Rubio hosted India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Penny Wong from Australia and Japan's Iwaya Takeshi for his first multilateral meeting as the top American diplomat.

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At the conclusion of the meeting that lasted for about an hour, the ministers reconfirmed the Quad Leadership Summit in India later this year.

"Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains, including the maritime domain, underpin the development and prosperity of the people of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," a joint statement issued by the Quad countries said.

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"We are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic, and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains.

"We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by India," it added.

The Quad ministers also reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended, the statement said.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said the meeting sent a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, Quad will continue to be a force for global good.

"Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states.

"Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration," Jaishankar said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)