Biden to lead Indo-Pacific summit to strengthen alliance against China

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, will host a summit on September 24 with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan, with whom he talks an alliance to counter the power of China.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement that Biden will receive Australian Prime Ministers Scott Morrison in person at the White House; from India, Narendra Modi; and from Japan, Yoshihide Suga.

The four countries form the “quad”, an alliance created in 2007 in response to Beijing’s military boom.

The meeting will aim deepen ties between these nations and deepen cooperation in areas such as the fight against COVID-19 and the climate crisis, emerging technologies and cyberspace, as well as promoting a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region, the note said.

Psaki indicated that the Biden government has made this alliance “a priority”, as we could see during the first virtual summit of the group last March and with the organization of this new meeting.

“By receiving the leaders of the ‘quad’ demonstrates the priority of the Biden and (Kamala) Harris administration to collaborate with the Indo-Pacific, which includes new multilateral configurations to meet the challenges of the 21st century, ”said the US spokesperson.

The celebration of this face-to-face summit It was agreed during the virtual meeting of the “quad” last March, where Biden sought to strengthen relationships with leaders of the India, Japan and Australia in your plan for “win the contest“Global strategy for China and regain ground in COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy.

When they met virtually in March, the first meeting of this whole new group of nations, none of them mentioned China in their joint statement, but all agreed to work together to “meet the challenges of the rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas”, where there are several disputed territories, explained the White House.

“Our intention is to win in the competition with China”Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said at a post-summit press conference at the time.

Sullivan then claimed that China was not the main topic of conversation during the virtual meeting, but acknowledged that all participants share concerns about the rise of Beijing and want to guarantee “freedom of navigation” in the Pacific.

He pointed out, however, that the “quad” is not “a military alliance” or “a new NATO”, as they say, but an attempt by the United States to strengthen ties with some of its most powerful allies with access to the oceans. peaceful e Indian.

The government of the former president Donald trump started using the term “Indo-Pacific” a few years ago to give India a bigger role in its plans to contain China’s military and economic boom, and Biden showed on Friday that he plans to continue that strategy.

“The ‘quad’ will be vital for our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific”,inaugurated the US president.

(With information from EFE)

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