Leaders of Quad countries — Australia, India, Japan and the US —would announce a new working group on space, a supply chain initiative and a 5G deployment and diversification effort apart from discussing issues like challenges in the Indo Pacific, climate change and Covid-19 pandemic during their historic meeting here on Friday, the White House has said.
At the invitation of President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts Scott Morrison from Australia and Yoshihide Suga from Japan have gathered in the American capital for the first-ever in-person Quad summit at the White House.
Quad leaders are also planning to roll out vaccine deliverables and announce a series of measures in the field of healthcare and infrastructure sector, officials here said.
“The leaders are hopeful for an opportunity in an intimate setting to sit down and talk about issues of mutual interest and concern. They''ll have discussions on critical issues that are confronting the Indo Pacific; issues associated with climate change, with matters relating to COVID. They will also talk about how to advance infrastructure,” a senior administration official said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official noted that the Quad has been all about advancing areas of mutual interests.
“You will also see that the leaders are determined to pool our unique capabilities, our resources and our expertise to make common challenges,” the official said.
The White House official underscored that the Quad is an unofficial gathering.
“Although we have a number of working groups, and we are deepening cooperation on a very daily basis, it is also the case that it is not a regional security organisation. We are going to address particular issues associated with the challenges confronting the Indo Pacific in the current environment,” the official said, adding that that’s what the leaders want to focus on.
India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China''s rising military manoeuvring in the region.
China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.
“President Biden believes that too often these kinds of discussions are scripted and he really wants to be able to sit down and have a deeper conversation with all leaders in an environment where they can really share perspectives on what''s important to each of them as they go forward,” the official said.
The White House official underscored this is a clear and emblematic indication of the strategy of diplomacy.
“It also indicates that the Biden administration understands that the challenges of the 21st century will largely play out in the Indo-Pacific and we are doubling down on our efforts. This quad is part of a larger fabric of engagement that you will see,” the official said.
In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.
“You have already seen evidence of, with very high level, bilateral engagements with security partners, other steps that we''ve taken and we believe that the Quad will be a key and critical format and forum for discussion and joint purpose as we head into a challenging period ahead,” the official said.
