Japan has said it wants India to join its security dialogue with Australia and the United States but insists that the step is not aimed at isolating China.
"India shares common interests -- liberalism and democracy -- with us," Mitsuo Sakaba, a spokesman for Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, said adding that all four countries should now get together to discuss "regional situations" and cooperation.
US President George W. Bush, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will meet tomorrow for talks set to focus on security issues including North Korea and China.
It will be the first time that the security dialogue involving the three countries will be held at the highest level, a development that has clearly made Beijing unhappy.
A deeply-concerned Beijing had lodged protest against the quadrilateral or Quad when the three countries and India set up their "strategic partnership" in Manila last May.
Tokyo is now backing plans to hold the trilateral summit regularly and is urging its allies to let India join.
"If we can hold such a forum regularly, it will contribute to peace and stability of the region," Sakaba was quoted as saying by The Australian daily.
Sakaba sought to reassure Beijing the move was not directed against it. "The trilateral talks are not directed at any specific countries," he said.
"Although we have not received any official protest from China we are ready to explain about our stance to the Chinese side," he said, adding describing the dialogue as "just another step forward" towards achieving stability and prosperity in the region.
