Dialogue can boost security where military deterrence can’t

In October, 30 international relations experts from Japan, South Korea, the United States and China came together in Tokyo to discuss pressing issues, especially relating to security in East Asia.

These conversations took place during the first edition of an international conference, the East Asia Quadrilateral Dialogue, or “the Quad,” hosted by the New Diplomacy Initiative, a Tokyo-based think tank, along with American and South Korean organizations.

The three-day meeting ended with a joint statement in which participants pledged to hold the gathering annually and to continue working together for peace.