Leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States met to announce new security initiatives in the Indian Ocean as part of the Quad grouping established out of shared concerns about China. During the meeting near Wilmington, Delaware, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of maintaining the Quad as a signature foreign policy achievement.
The leaders announced plans to expand the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness to include the Indian Ocean region. They also discussed joint coast guard operations and increased military logistics cooperation. Additionally, they pledged to provide critical and security technologies to the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia to counter China’s influence in the region.
The meeting was intended to strengthen cooperation between the Quad countries and address ongoing challenges posed by China’s aggressive behavior across various regions. Discussions around China’s actions and intentions were overheard on hot mics, with Biden highlighting the need for intense diplomacy amid the strategic competition with Beijing.
Analysts noted that the focus on maritime security initiatives in response to China’s territorial pressures sends a clear message to Beijing. The meeting aimed to demonstrate the Quad partners’ alignment and commitment to providing public goods for the Indo-Pacific region, signaling that the Quad is a long-term strategic partnership.
The institutionalization of the Quad is seen as a priority for the Biden administration, especially with the upcoming changes in leadership in Japan and Australia. The meeting highlighted the Quad’s bipartisan support and its role in addressing China’s security ambitions and influence in the region.
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