Ankara: The top diplomats from the US, Japan, Australia, and India have reaffirmed their "unwavering support" for the "unity and centrality" of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as announced in an official statement. This declaration took place during a meeting in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, where the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts from the Quad nations gathered.

According to Anadolu Agency, the meeting occurred on the sidelines of the 59th annual summit of ASEAN's top diplomats. The US State Department's statement highlighted the Quad's commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific," as they engaged in discussions about regional challenges and opportunities. The discussions aimed to enhance their support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, focusing on shared priorities such as maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response.

All four nations involved are comprehensive strategic partners of the Southeast Asian bloc. The Quad, which consists of the US, India, Australia, and Japan, has been increasingly committed to promoting security and economic cooperation across the wider Asia-Pacific region. The statement emphasized the group's investment in the region's success and their cooperation with ASEAN and its member states, while underscoring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain as essential for the region's security and prosperity.