In a message to China, Biden to meet up Australia, India, Japan PMs
10 March, 2021
US President Joe Biden will carry first-ever joint talks on Friday (Mar 12) with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan, boosting an emerging four-approach alliance often cast just as a good bulwark against China.
It will be among the first summits, albeit found in virtual file format, for Biden, who has vowed to regenerate US alliances found in the wake of the disarray of Donald Trump's administration.
"That President Biden offers made that one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance that we put on close cooperation with our allies and partners found in the Indo-Pacific," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Tuesday.
The meeting of the so-called "Quad" comes amid rising tensions with China, which is seen as flexing its muscle both in trade and security realms.
Australian Primary Minister Scott Morrison said that Biden was "taking this to another level".
"It will be an historic moment in our area and it transmits a solid message to the spot about our support for a sovereign, independent Indo-Pacific," Morrison told reporters.
Both Psaki and India, which earlier announced the participation of Primary Minister Narendra Modi, said that the talks would take up climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic - two key priorities for Biden.
"The leaders will discuss regional and global problems of shared interest, and exchange opinions on practical regions of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open up and inclusive Indo-Pacific region," the Indian international ministry explained in a statement.
The talks, also involving Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, will touch aswell on promoting maritime security and "ensuring safe, equitable and affordable vaccines" to fight COVID-19 in Asia, the Indian statement said.
CHINA'S GROWING ASSERTIVENESS
Japan said that Suga spoke separately on Thursday to Modi and voiced alarm about China's "unilateral efforts to improve the status quo found in the East and South China Sea" plus the status of rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
STATE DEPT. spokesman Ned Price informed reporters that the Quad was well-equipped to cope with the world's "urgent difficulties" but, asked about China, explained the format can be "not about any single competitor".
The summit follows talks on Feb 18 among the foreign ministers of the Quad if they pressed jointly for a restoration of democracy in Myanmar following the armed service ousted democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb 1.
US officials cast the meeting as a key method of exerting pressure as India and Japan enjoy closer relationships with Myanmar's military - which includes historically counted about China as its primary source of support.
The Quad foreign ministers, however, were careful not to get an explicit mention of China, which has voiced alarm at what it sees as an attempt to gang through to its interests in Asia.
After Biden's election, Chinese state media had printed articles contacting India to get rid of the Quad, seeing New Delhi as the most likely opponent.
But opinions have hardened on India following a pitched battle on the Himalayas this past year killed at least 20 Indian troops. China possesses named four dead in confirmation that took half of a year.
Australia has also displayed growing willingness to take part in the Quad due to relations deteriorate with Beijing, last year signing up for naval exercises with the three other nations off India's shores.
The Quad premiered in 2007 by Japan's then prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was simply alarmed at China's growing assertiveness around Asia.
Biden has pledged in general terms to keep his predecessor's hawkish brand on China, including by pressing on people rights and territorial disputes.
But the Biden administration has promised what it considers a far more productive approach which includes improving ties with allies and getting limited areas for cooperation with Beijing such as for example climate change.
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