Quad summit ups the ante in Indo-Pacific without naming China

Joint coast guard patrols among initiatives to scale up presence in region

- Bhagyashree Garekar

Can a grouping that declares itself dedicated to upholding the rules-based order not be about China? Amid lengthening geopolitical shadows, the last Quad summit of the Biden administration answered that question in about 2,000 words.

China was not mentioned by name in the lengthy Wilmington Declaration issued at the end of day-long meetings on Sept 21 between the four Quad leaders US President Joe Biden and prime ministers Fumio Kishida of Japan, Narendra Modi of India and Anthony Albanese of Australia.

But no one was left in any doubt as to who the leaders were talking about in a joint statement after their fourth in-person meeting since Mr Biden elevated the Quad to a leader-level summit.

"We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China seas. We continue to express our serious concern about the militarisation of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating manoeuvres in the South China Sea," the Quad statement said.

"We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including increasing use of dangerous manoeuvres. We also oppose efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities." That amounted to the most forceful expression of concern to date by the Quad on China's actions, namely its expanded naval and air force presence in the South and East China seas and around Taiwan and its clash-prone assertion of claims over disputed maritime territories.

Before the meetings, which were held in Mr Biden's woodside home and his old high school in Delaware, several White House officials repeated in media briefings that the grouping was not about China.

The Quad isn't really about any other country, said Mr Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. "Each of the four members of the Quad has their own approach to the PRC. There's not going to be some 'Quad approach' to the PRC," he added.