Quad Group Expands Maritime Security Cooperation at Biden’s Farewell Summit

By Trevor Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom

CLAYMONT, Delaware – Leaders from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States have expanded their collaborative security measures in the trade-rich waters of Asia. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden hosted his counterparts from the Quad group, formed to address shared concerns regarding China.

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese near his Delaware hometown, Biden emphasized the significance of maintaining the Quad, which he views as a key foreign policy achievement as he prepares to leave office following the November 5 U.S. presidential election.

The leaders announced plans for joint coast guard operations next year, which will involve personnel from Australia, Japan, and India participating aboard a U.S. coast guard vessel. They also discussed increasing military logistics cooperation, though they did not disclose specific locations for the coast guard activities.

Additionally, they intend to expand an Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, which was initiated two years ago.

While the White House stated that the Quad summit was not aimed at any specific country and suggested that Beijing should not take issue with it, Biden began the summit’s group session with a briefing focused on China. In a joint statement that stopped short of naming the Chinese government, the leaders condemned "coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea."

Analysts asserted that these new maritime security initiatives would send a message to Beijing, reflecting increasing anxieties about China’s goals and marking a shift in the Quad’s emphasis toward security issues.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has criticized the Quad as an attempt to encircle China and exacerbate conflicts. Biden noted that while Beijing’s tactics may be changing, its overall strategy remains consistent, as it continues to challenge the United States in the South and East China Seas as well as the Taiwan Strait.

Biden commented on China’s focus on domestic economic challenges and its efforts to navigate diplomatic relations, suggesting that Xi Jinping might be seeking to create space to more assertively advance China’s interests.

China asserts claims over vast areas of the South China Sea, which are also disputed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Furthermore, it lays claim to territories in the East China Sea, which are contested by Japan and Taiwan, and regards Taiwan as a part of its territory.

The leaders also included strong language regarding North Korea in their joint statement, condemning its ballistic missile tests and "malicious cyber activity." A U.S. official noted shared concerns over Russian military support for North Korea among the leaders.

The group aims to enhance the provision of critical technologies and security technologies, including a new open radio access network, to Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, which are areas of significant competition with China.

The leaders have introduced a health initiative focused on combating cervical cancer.

Lisa Curtis, an Asia policy expert, indicated that India, which traditionally refrains from military alliances, might be reconsidering its stance on the Quad amid China’s recent aggressive maritime actions, which could lead India to be more open to the idea of enhanced security cooperation within the Quad.

Analysts and officials view Biden’s hosting of the Quad as part of efforts to solidify the group’s presence ahead of upcoming leadership changes in the U.S. and Japan, as well as elections in Australia next year.

When asked about the group’s future, Biden assured Modi that the Quad would endure.

Albanese described the coast guard plan as "very important," emphasizing that personnel from the four countries would collaborate on a single vessel, thereby enhancing interoperability and cooperation.

Prior to the summit, Albanese and Biden met to discuss bilateral cooperation between their two nations, particularly in terms of defense and security in the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad had previously met at the foreign minister level under Donald Trump’s administration, which saw bipartisan support, as evidenced by the establishment of a congressional Quad Caucus before the summit. Biden elevated the Quad to a leader level in 2021.