New US-Backed Defense ‘Squad’ to Counter China in Indo-Pacific
- Austin meets with Australia, Japan, Philippines counterparts
- Four nations are looking to hold more maritime exercises
WATCH: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reasserted Washington’s “commitment to international law in the South China Sea” during a joint press briefing with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines.
Source: BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Thursday with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines as the US deepens ties with an emerging regional group that Pentagon officials have privately nicknamed, the “Squad.”
The quadrilateral grouping is one of a number of regional partnerships that Washington has used to push back against China’s assertiveness in Asia. There is also the “Quad” comprised of the US, Australia, India and Japan and “Aukus,” a defense pact among Australia, the UK and the US.