Biden to host ‘Quad’ alliance leaders at White House

President Biden will host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan next week for the first White House meeting of the so-called Quad alliance.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will meet with Biden in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24, the White House said Monday. The four-country Quad alliance has been a foreign policy priority for Biden in an effort to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.

“The Quad Leaders will be focused on deepening our ties and advancing practical cooperation on areas such as combatting COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

The Quad, formally known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, held its first meeting in 2004 following a devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Biden convened the leaders of the four countries for a virtual summit in March. That meeting also focused on issues such as climate change and COVID-19.

Global vaccine supply is likely to be a topic of discussion, with Australia implementing new lockdowns to combat spikes in coronavirus cases and Japanese and Indian leaders seeking to get the pandemic under control in their countries.

The leaders may also discuss the Biden administration’s focus on addressing Chinese influence in the region following the president’s call last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.