By Prof. Samitha Hettige

The leaders of QUAD (USA, Japan, India and Australia) held their 4^th summit in Japan recently. QUAD is an attempt by USA to counter China's outreach (with the Belt and Road - BRI) in the Indo Pacific region. President Trump wanted an alternative to BRI in 2017 in Tokyo (first expressed in 2008 by US sensing China’s rise). Though QUAD members trade with China (to benefit from its mega market), they are threatened with China’s rise. QUAD wishes a free and open Indo-Pacific. The challenge seen is the high volume of maritime activity in the East and South China seas with the BRI. Although these waters are been contested by many since western colonization, Great China was the only super power in these waters in 1400s AD. That was 100 years prior to the founding of USA and the west reaching these waters seeking Silk and Porcelain etc. As per some SL chronicles (Ref. Paranawithana), Great China has been using these waters to trade with mega cities in the Far East such as Ho Ling (Kalinga/ Klung - Malaysia) and they even reached SL as early as 1000AD (introduction of Yapahuwa lions to SL architecture). Political stability is very much in need in SL at present and it was during 1400sAD SL established the most stable government ever by working closely with the far east especially with Great China. Despite QUAD claims that China is militarizing the waters, it is fact that China has never invested on colonization or militarization as Japan and western colonizers did.

Japan which colonized parts of mainland China during WW2 is claiming that China is claiming sovereignty over the Senkaku islands. During occupation, Japan used Chinese peasants as laboratory rats to develop biological weapons. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet who recently spoke of China may be aware of it. China under communist rule ensured the right to life for more than 1.5 billion in China and displayed the spirit of “Asian Brotherhood” as early as 1952 by ensuring the right to life of Sri Lankans by helping fight famine with the Rubber Rice pact. When the USA left Afghanistan after occupying it for 20 years, it was the BRI which mainly delivered fertilizer and basic essentials to the starving Afghans in 2021 and not the QUAD. Post WW2 Japan is hosting its former occupier US armed forces in Okinawa against the wishes of Japanese who live there for centuries. At the same time Japanese companies are considering using the BRI’s rail network to transport the vehicles they produce to the EU markets. Vietnam and the Philippines though not discussed also had concerns but settled the matter in a win-win with BRI.

QUAD Concerns

QUAD is concerned about peace in Ukraine. China is the only super power which stressed dialogue instead of violence in Ukraine. Did USA supply military hardware/ money to fuel the conflict pushing Ukraine up the greasy Rod? Did USA militarize Asia Pacific signing the AUKUS pushing Australia also up the greasy rod? France which distanced from Australia with AUKUS is a good partner of the BRI in EU. BRI helped most EU countries with basic medical needs during the pandemic. India despite US pressure is not criticizing President Putin and it must be a down the greasy rod feeling. Though part of QUAD, India is a trading partner of BRI (through Chennai connect) and has displayed the spirit of “Asian Brotherhood” when friends are in trouble. QUAD discussed North Korea and Myanmar. Decades long unilateral sanctions by US has distanced these countries from US and made the masses suffer. On the contrary China extends cooperation though BRI renewing the centuries old bonds with the two Asian nations.

The USA is Asia Pacific’s number one military while China is second, India is fourth, Japan is seventh and Australia eighth (ref: Asia Power Index). Chinese and Indian militaries have been powerful in Asia for centuries. Chinese navy was the world’s most powerful navy under Admiral Zheng He who was a good friend of SL (1403AD). India used its military on occasions to colonize neighbors but China has never invested in colonizing. USA since WW2 has been involved in an armed conflict somewhere in the world at any given time (Ref. US sources). If it invested those funds to develop global trade (non military) and social well being of humans, the world would have been a different place.

Why is BRI better?

China promoted peace during said period and invested its savings to; eradicate poverty, ensure human rights, develop education, social security and healthcare systems within China and in partner countries. China gifted SL one of the best specialized health facilities for kidney treatment. Kidney issues increased in SL largely due agriculture related chemicals (Ref. health sources) which it purchased from the west to increase harvest to fight famine (since the 1960s).

Being one of SL’s friends since 2500BC, in addition to the new land created (Port City) which will benefit generations for centuries China gifted “Parakaramabahu” ship to SL Navy as part of BRI cooperation to support peace in the Indo Pacific. Being one of SL’s good friends since 1948AD, USA also gifted SL Navy the decommissioned US Coast Guard ship “Sherman” produced (1960s) decades before the Chinese gift (as part of QUAD support?) for the same purpose.

China always promotes non military development through multilateral organizations such as the; G20, BRICS, ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization etc. While QUAD has allocated approx 50 billion USD for regional development (Ref. Media), with the BRI Chinese FDIs worth more than 140 billion USD were invested in human development ventures in more than 140 countries by 2021. Trading among BRI partners has already surpassed USD 10 trillion by 2021. BRI will be celebrating its first 10 years in 2023 raising hundreds of millions above the poverty line in the partner countries. It is up to the partners to; get the best from any one offering, avoid greasy rods but climb up with the right partners. QUAD is presented as an alternative to BRI. Those concerned may study more about the intensions of QUAD and do a comparative analysis. Another definition of QUAD is to fill out with blank space (Webster).

(The writer is an Academic and a Broadcaster. Views expressed are personal and may not necessarily be the views of his affiliations.)