European Union to increase cooperation with the democratic countries in Indo-Pacific

Brussels: – France, Denmark and Germany had presented a proposal to increase cooperation with the countries in the Indo-Pacific. The European Union has accepted this proposal. Acceptance of the European Union proposal, when the Chinese domination activities are increasing in the Indo-Pacific sector, becomes significant. Saying that the proposal is not against China, the European Union justified the proposal. It has been clarified that the European Union will be increasing cooperation with the democratic and like-minded countries from the Indo-Pacific sector.

The importance of the Indo-Pacific sector seems to have increased immensely over the last few months. Canada, located 7,000 kilometres away from the sector, sent its warship HMCS Calgary to the Indo-Pacific sector. Canada had informed that this warship had been sent to the sector to promote freedom of movement and observance of the international laws. Currently, the relations between China and Canada are strained. In this scenario, it is being revealed that the Canadian deployment was a part of the efforts to stop China. After that, even the European Union initiated steps to increase its influence in the Indo-Pacific sector.

France, Denmark and Germany had presented a proposal for increasing the influence of the European Union in the Indo-Pacific sector. The Union has approved the proposal. The Union informed that it would increase cooperation with the democratic and like-minded countries from the Indo-pacific sector. But the European Union clarified that this decision is not against China. The proposal claims that the European Union will ensure freedom of movement, human rights and observance of international laws in the Indo-Pacific sector.

Cooperation with India, Japan and Australia will be increased for this purpose, and the European Union will make special efforts for this. The mention of freedom of movement and enforcement of international laws in the marine sector will especially not go down well with China. China claims exclusive rights over the South China Sea. China has also unilaterally decided and drawn the 9-dash line and has authorised the coast guard to open fire on the foreign ships entering this marine region.

At the same time, the Chinese activities in the Gulf of Taiwan have crossed alarming levels. China is trying to establish its right with intrusion in the marine limits of a small country like the Philippines with hundreds of ships. At the same time, increased Chinese movements in the Indian Ocean region also are becoming evident. Japan and Australia have adopted a strong stand against China and have initiated steps to strengthen cooperation with India and France.

Whereas France has increased its bilateral cooperation with India and has increased the movements of its navy in the Indo-Pacific sector. Before this, India, the United States, Japan and Australia issued a stern warning to China by establishing the QUAD cooperation. As per the strategic analysts, now QUAD will be converted into QUAD Plus. It is claimed that the United Kingdom, South Korea, France and Canada may be included in QUAD Plus. It is also becoming evident that the European Union has taken a stand against China, with the decision to increase cooperation with the democratic and like-minded countries from the Indo-Pacific sector. Major effects of these developments could become visible in the near future.