Joe Biden says the alliance between the United States, Australia, India and Japan is “here to stay” and pledges to deepen the partnership.
Leaders from Australia, India, Japan and the United States are meeting in US President Joe Biden's hometown as the countries push to strengthen their Quad alliance amid growing competition with China.
Biden hosted his counterparts in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday for the group’s annual summit, where he previewed steps to deepen the alliance, including the launch of a new framework for cooperation between the four countries’ coast guards.
“While challenges will arise, the world will change… the Quad is here to stay,” Biden said.
The Quad, formally known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, was initially launched in 2007 but quickly dissolved amid protests from China.
The alliance was revived in 2017, and when Biden took office in 2021, he pushed to elevate it as the United States sought to curb China’s influence in the Asia Pacific.
The group held its first leaders' summit virtually in 2021, and a year later, Biden hosted the heads of state of Australia, India and Japan at the White House.
Last year, the Quad met in Hiroshima, the hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
On Saturday, the leaders did not mention China in their opening remarks, but presented themselves as leaders of democracies and defenders of international norms in Asia and the Pacific.
“We all support a rules-based international order, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of all disputes,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“A free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific is our shared priority and our shared commitment together.”
India has been accused of attacking dissidents internationally, including in the United States and Canada, in violation of the principles of sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has faced mounting criticism for its unwavering support for Israel despite the U.S. ally’s well-documented abuses across the Middle East.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also stressed the importance of national sovereignty in his remarks in Delaware.
“The promise in the region depends on continued peace and stability and the intelligent management of competition and strategic disputes,” Albanese said.
“Alliances like the Quad are crucial as they provide us with an avenue to discuss shared responsibilities and objectives.”
While the Biden administration has largely focused on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza on its foreign policy agenda, senior U.S. leaders have also said the country's top foreign policy priority is deepening rivalry with China.
Relations between Beijing and Washington have deteriorated over numerous points of tension in recent years, including trade issues, the status of Taiwan, claims over the South China Sea and allegations of espionage and cyberattacks.
The United States has also warned China against providing military support to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell called competition with China “the most significant challenge” in US history, comments that Beijing criticized.
“China urges the US to abandon its Cold War and zero-sum mentality, stop spreading the 'China threat' narrative and stop misunderstanding China's strategic intentions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Friday.
