'Quad' nations agree to strengthen cooperation over advanced tech

Washington – Japan, the United States, Australia and India on Tuesday agreed on the need for democratic countries to strengthen their cooperation in developing advanced technologies, apparently to counter China's rise in the field. Ministers and other representatives from the "Quad" nations reached the agreement at an international meeting hosted by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), an independent commission of the U.S. Congress that makes recommendations to the U.S. president and Congress. The participants worked to deepen the ties in the Quad framework in the run-up to a summit the four nations' leaders aim to hold in autumn this year. "Today, emerging technologies such as the internet of things, 5G, artificial intelligence, quantum technology not only produce economic benefits but have the potential to affect civil liberties, human rights and even national security," science and technology minister Shinji Inoue said as he attended the event in Washington virtually. "It is very important for the Quad countries … which share common values, to cooperate in emerging technologies so that sustainable, inclusive, resilient economic growth can be promoted in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.