US President Donald Trump has mainstreamed the QUAD by awarding its original architects Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with the prestigious Legion of Merit. The US had last awarded Legion of Merit to late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on September 18, 2020 as the senior most Royal in the Middle-East for bridging divides in the restive region.
ALSO WATCH | Trump confers Legion of Merit award to PM Modi for elevating India-US ties
While the outgoing US president has awarded the Legion of Merit to Modi, Abe and Morrison for their leadership and vision, it can also be interpreted as President Trump telling the world that it was during his time at the White House that these relationships were taken to a different level.
“The Legion of Merit basically mainstreams the QUAD dialogue from an experimental stage and towards institutionalisation of the security architecture. The world has now realised that the real father of QUAD is China, which forced democracies to cement ties due to its aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, East Ladakh and against Taiwan. It is another matter that India, Australia and Japan’s relationship with the US is bipartisan with a shared vision of democracy and values,” said a senior official.
The QUAD dialogue took shape after China aggravated the dispute with Japan over Senkaku Islands, with India after the transgression on the north banks of Pangong Tso in East Ladakh sector, Australia after imposing trade sanctions and testing nuclear missiles during US naval exercises in the South China Sea. While China calls QUAD a product of 20th century mindset, the fact is that Beijing’s Middle Kingdom concept with tributary states is an imperial expansion concept of 18th century with Belt Road Initiative.
{{/usCountry}}The QUAD dialogue took shape after China aggravated the dispute with Japan over Senkaku Islands, with India after the transgression on the north banks of Pangong Tso in East Ladakh sector, Australia after imposing trade sanctions and testing nuclear missiles during US naval exercises in the South China Sea. While China calls QUAD a product of 20th century mindset, the fact is that Beijing’s Middle Kingdom concept with tributary states is an imperial expansion concept of 18th century with Belt Road Initiative.
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