WASHINGTON, D.C., July 1 (ANI): U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday underscored the strategic importance of diversifying the global supply chain for critical minerals, calling it essential for technological advancement and industrial resilience. Speaking at a joint press conference ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (QFMM), Rubio emphasized that establishing a reliable and secure supply of critical minerals is one of his personal focus areas within the Quad framework.
“There are many topics that we can work on and focus on,” Rubio said. “One that I’ve personally been very focused on is diversifying the global supply chain of critical minerals—not just access to the raw material, but also access to the ability to process and refine it to usable material. It’s critical for all technologies and for all industries across the board.”
The Quad—comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia—is a strategic partnership aimed at fostering a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific. Rubio stressed that the group must move beyond conceptual dialogues and begin implementing actionable initiatives that benefit not only its member nations but also other countries around the world.
“We want to continue to build on these very important countries,” Rubio noted. “These are very important strategic partners and allies of the United States, and together we have a lot of shared priorities, a lot of things we care about in the world.”
He acknowledged that the next step for the Quad is to transform its discussions into concrete results. “One of the challenges has been that something new like this is turning meetings and gatherings where we talk about ideas and concepts into a vehicle for action—into a vehicle for actually being able to take concrete actions,” Rubio stated. “That’s the next step in this great partnership.”
Rubio further emphasized that the Quad’s agenda extends beyond security to encompass economic development, innovation, and infrastructure. “There are many global problems—but also problems that we face in our respective countries—that can be solved by us cooperating together,” he said. “Concrete actions and steps are being taken in conjunction with one another, in coordination with one another, and in partnership with one another for the benefit of our respective countries and ultimately of many other countries in the world.”
The QFMM, scheduled for July 1, brings together the foreign ministers of the Quad nations: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
The Quad’s origins date back to the collaborative response to the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Since then, the group has evolved into a robust platform for advancing shared values and practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on maritime security, infrastructure, supply chain resilience, public health, and climate action. (ANI)
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