WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Askume) – Tensions in Asia’s trade-rich waters have become a key issue as U.S. President Joe Biden joins Australia, India and China in taking diplomatic action against China in the final months of his term, according to a statement in his home state of Delaware.
Biden will fly to Wilmington, Delaware, on Friday ahead of a summit of Quad leaders, where leaders are expected to discuss the conflict between Beijing and its neighbours in the South China Sea , a disputed region, U.S. officials told Askume.
The agenda includes: strengthening security cooperation in the Indian Ocean and making progress in monitoring illegal fishing fleets in Indo-Pacific waters, most of which are Chinese.
After the November 5 election, Biden will hand over the presidency to Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump, who has vowed to take a confrontational stance toward China and expressed skepticism about America’s traditional alliances.
Whether the Quad can save Biden’s presidency and ease tensions remains an open question. In addition to the transfer of power to the White House next year, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will also leave his post this month.
A senior US official said, “You will see a lot of different signals in this meeting and its outcome that the Quad is a bipartisan institution and is here to stay.”
Health security, cancer treatment, technology and infrastructure measures are also expected to be discussed in the Quad talks.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam . It also claims areas of the East China Sea disputed by Japan and Taiwan. China also considers self-governing Taiwan as its territory.
Biden has vowed to compete with China but not let differences turn into conflict, and he plans to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping again soon . But his desire to focus on relations with China has been distracted by conflicts in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.
Xi Jinping opposes the Quad, saying it seeks to encircle Beijing and escalate conflict.
“As we all know, this partnership, while not directed at China, is intended to provide an alternative to China,” a senior Biden administration official said.
Lisa Curtis, Asia policy expert and former US government official, said: “The new Quad maritime security initiative will send a very strong signal to China that its maritime bullying is unacceptable and will be confronted by like-minded countries.
Curtis said the measure, which could also involve the Coast Guard, would show that the Quad has a security element, despite India’s sensitivity to the group’s need to avoid defensive zones.
“China’s recent maritime aggression may change the mood in India and push India to be more open to the idea of Quad security cooperation,” he said.
Trump said he plans to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week . India plans to host the next Quad meeting, which is expected to conclude early no matter who wins the US election in November.
