Japan's Quad summit eyes unity on China, if not Ukraine

TOKYO: The leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States meet in Tokyo next week seeking common ground on countering China, despite differences over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The loosely organised "Quad" grouping is united by its desire for a counterweight to China's expanding economic, military and technological influence.

But it is divided on Ukraine, with India the only member not to have explicitly criticised or imposed sanctions on Moscow, instead increasing its imports of Russian oil.

Many observers are convinced that Beijing is eyeing the international response to the war in Ukraine as it considers its options for "reunifying" Taiwan with the mainland.

Quad leaders "will be talking about ways they can increase deterrence and military cooperation" concerning China, said Robert Dujarric, co-director of Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University.

The May 24 forum "will show Beijing that they are working together to contain, to deter, against China," he told AFP.

US President Joe Biden will be in Japan for the first time since taking office and is expected to use bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to hammer home concerns about Beijing.

Reports suggest the pair will issue a joint statement warning they are ready to "respond" to actions by China that undermine regional stability.

But the tone of any Quad statement is likely to be softer, echoing past calls for a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and warnings against "unilateral" moves in the region - without directly naming China.

The mood is already tense, and the entire summit could yet be overshadowed by North Korea, which is believed to be preparing fresh missile launches or even a nuclear test.

Elsewhere, Japan has regularly raised concern about increasing Chinese patrols around disputed islands and there is growing talk about how the United States and allies should respond to threats to Taiwan.