China will likely be high on the agenda of the Quad Summit to be hosted by US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, on Sept. 21, US National Security Council (NSC) strategic communications coordinator John Kirby said on Wednesday (local time).
During a press conference, Kirby stressed that it would be irresponsible if the Quad leaders did not hold talks on the challenges that exist in the region caused by China.
Asked to what extent China will be a central theme of the Quad summit, Kirby said: “I think it will certainly be high on the agenda. I mean, there is not a single opportunity when you meet with these particular leaders, the Indo-Pacific, the Quad, where it would actually be irresponsible if they didn’t talk about the challenges that still exist in the region caused by aggressive military action by the People’s Republic of China, for example, unfair trade practices and tensions over the Taiwan Strait. I have no doubt that all of those issues will come to the fore.”
Biden will host the fourth in-person summit of Quad leaders in Delaware on September 21 and is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It is the first time Biden will host foreign leaders in his hometown.
Asked whether the Quad nations view China as a threat to the Indo-Pacific region, John Kirby said: “I think you’d have to talk to the leaders about their particular view of the PRC. But I think we all have a common understanding of the challenges that the PRC poses, but each of them is a sovereign country; they can decide for themselves what their relationship with the PRC is going to be and what that’s going to look like; each of them has a different relationship with the PRC, including us.”
John Kirby said Biden will meet with the Quad leaders individually and with all four together in a larger plenary session where they will discuss expanding cooperation on several critical issues.
Commenting on the upcoming Quad Summit, he said: “The President will meet individually with each of them and then we will meet in a broader plenary session where they will discuss expanding cooperation on a range of critically important issues. We believe that as a result of this summit, you will see that the Quad is more strategically aligned and relevant than ever before.”
“I think you can expect a robust agenda aimed at delivering concrete benefits to the people of the region, as they all identify priorities such as health, security, natural disaster response, maritime security, quality infrastructure, critical and emerging technologies, climate and clean energy, and cybersecurity. You will also see some announcements that demonstrate our intent to ensure that this special Quad partnership endures and indeed thrives in the long term. We will have more details, of course, to share on specific outcomes as we get a little closer to the weekend,” he added.
Asked whether Biden intends to press PM Modi on human rights during their bilateral meeting, Kirby said: “There is not a single conversation I have with foreign leaders where he doesn’t talk about the importance of respecting human and civil rights, and that includes Prime Minister Modi. He did that when the prime minister was here in the United States and I’m sure he will do so appropriately in the future. I’m not going to preempt the conversation, but he never shies away from talking about our concerns about human and civil rights anywhere in the world.”
The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between four countries: Australia, India, Japan and the United States. It is worth noting that in recent years, the Quad foreign ministers have met eight times and the Quad governments continue to meet and coordinate at all levels.
PM Modi will be in the US from September 21-23, during which he will participate in the Quad Summit and address the ‘Future Summit’ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. PM Modi will also participate in the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware.
Following the US side’s request to host the Quad Summit this year, India has agreed to host the next Quad Summit in 2025.
At the Quad Summit, the leaders will review the progress made by the Quad over the past year and set the agenda for the coming year to help countries in the Indo-Pacific region achieve their development goals and aspirations, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Prime Minister Modi will address the ‘Future Summit’ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23. The theme of the Summit is ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’.
On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meetings with various world leaders and discuss issues of mutual interest. The Prime Minister will address a meeting of the Indian community on September 22 in New York.
According to the MEA release, he will also interact with CEOs of leading US-based companies to foster greater collaboration between the two countries. He is also expected to interact with thought leaders and other stakeholders active in the India-US bilateral landscape.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.