During their first in-person meet, leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) said that they believe in a world order that favours freedom.
Presenting a united front against Chinese economic and military dominance in the Indo-Pacific, the leaders of Quad countries vowed to work together on delivering vaccines to other Asian countries, creating a supply chain for critical minerals and partnering on low-emission technologies to tackle climate change.
US President Joe Biden hosted Australian PM Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Yoshido Suga in White House on Friday.
Read: Scott Morrison hails Narendra Modi as ‘great friend of Australia’
Although none of the leaders mentioned China, Indo-Pacific remained the focus of discussions.
At the beginning of the summit, Australian PM Morrison said, “We are liberal democracies and believe in a world order that favours freedom.”
“We believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific because we know that’s what delivers a strong, stable and prosperous region so our citizens, our people, can realise their hopes and dreams for their futures in a liberal, free society.”
US president Joe Biden described the nations as “democratic partners who share a common world view and have a common vision for the future coming together to take on key challenges of our ages”.
“We know how to get things done, and we are up to the challenge,” the US President said.
However, China reacted to the meeting by saying that the group was “doomed to fail.”
“A closed, exclusive clique targeting other countries runs counter to the trend of the times and the aspirations of regional countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Leijian said at a briefing in Beijing as the summit was taking place.
“It will find no support and is doomed to fail.”
Speaking to reporters after the summit, Morrison said, “The Quad is a partner whether it be for China or any other country that is in the Indo Pacific region.
“We’re there to make the region stronger, more prosperous, more stable.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country would export 8 million COVID-19 vaccines by the end of October under a deal reached by the grouping in March to supply a billion vaccine doses to the Indo-Pacific.
