Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Thursday with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines as the U.S. 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 U.S., Australia, India and Japan and “Aukus,” a defense pact among Australia, the U.K. and the U.S.
“We’ve gathered here because we share a vision for peace, stability and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said during a joint press briefing in Hawaii with his three counterparts. “We’ve chartered an ambitious course to advance that vision together.”
Read More: Why Asian Allies Are Wary of the U.S. Election—and Why Experts Say They Don’t Need to Be
The defense chiefs of the “Squad” met for the first time in June 2023 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore.
In April, the four nations conducted joint maritime patrols within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial claims in the South China Sea. Speaking after the talks on Friday, Austin announced the four-country group would look at undertaking more maritime exercises, as well as providing greater security assistance to the Philippines.
Read More: Why the U.S. Faces a Delicate Balancing Act on Countering China in the South China Sea
Austin said the U.S. had been clear to all nations, including China, that the recent behavior in the South China Sea was “irresponsible” and “disregards international law.”
China views the U.S.’s multilateral groupings as part of Washington’s attempts to contain China. A story in the state-run Global Times this week warned that the grouping risked “exacerbating regional risks.”
Read More: Why the U.S. Is Building Out Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific—and How It Could Backfire
A U.S. official who requested anonymity to discuss the “Squad” said the grouping aims to counter coercion and aggression across Asia, as well as to ensure that defense capabilities among their militaries are increasingly inter-operable, allowing them to work more efficiently together in the event of conflict.
The official said the quadrilateral group aims to conduct more joint patrols in the coming months and years and that these patrols will add more capabilities over time.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Introducing the 2024 TIME100 Next
- The Reinvention of J.D. Vance
- How to Survive Election Season Without Losing Your Mind
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Scams
- Did the Pandemic Break Our Brains?
- The Many Lives of Jack Antonoff
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Why Gut Health Issues Are More Common in Women
Contact us at letters@time.com