Forget France, AUKUS and nuclear-powered submarines -- one of the most important moments for the future of US influence in Asia is due to take place on Friday in Washington. US President Joe Biden is holding the first in-person meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as "the Quad," an informal strategic forum of the United States, Australia, Japan and India -- all democratic countries with a vested interest in countering China's rise in Asia. US-China policy: Biden is bringing together Japan, Australia and India to stare down China https://gab.com/groups/51078 https://gab.com/groups/51080 https://gab.com/groups/51081 https://gab.com/groups/51083 https://gab.com/groups/51085 https://gab.com/groups/51086 https://gab.com/groups/51087 https://gab.com/groups/51088 https://gab.com/groups/51089 https://gab.com/groups/51090 https://gab.com/groups/51091 https://gab.com/groups/51092 https://gab.com/groups/51093 https://gab.com/groups/51094 https://gab.com/groups/51096 https://gab.com/groups/51097 Biden will be joined in Washington by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian leader Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to discuss "promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," according to the White House. https://gab.com/groups/51098 https://gab.com/groups/51099 https://gab.com/groups/51100 https://gab.com/groups/51101 https://gab.com/groups/51102 https://gab.com/groups/51103 https://gab.com/groups/51104 https://gab.com/groups/51105 https://gab.com/groups/51106 https://gab.com/groups/51107 https://gab.com/groups/51108 https://gab.com/groups/51109 https://gab.com/groups/51110 https://gab.com/groups/51111 https://gab.com/groups/51112 https://gab.com/groups/51113 The meeting comes at a time of great change for US policy in Asia. As the Biden administration moves to strengthen its diplomatic partnerships in the region, Japan is taking an increasingly hawkish view of China's military buildup. At the same time, Australia's AUKUS defense pact with the US and the United Kingdom has solidified Washington's commitment to Asia while making some important Southeast Asian partners uneasy. https://gab.com/groups/51114 https://gab.com/groups/51115 https://gab.com/groups/51116 https://gab.com/groups/51117 https://gab.com/groups/51118 https://gab.com/groups/51119 https://gab.com/groups/51120 https://gab.com/groups/51121 https://gab.com/groups/51122 https://gab.com/groups/51123 https://gab.com/groups/51124 https://gab.com/groups/51125 https://gab.com/groups/51126 https://gab.com/groups/51127 https://gab.com/groups/51128 At this critical point, what the Quad chooses to do next is more important than ever. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Malcolm Davis said compared to its early roots under the George W. Bush administration, the Quad had evolved from a "low key political and economic dialogue" to a very significant player in the Asia Pacific region. https://gab.com/groups/51129 https://gab.com/groups/51130 https://gab.com/groups/51131 https://gab.com/groups/51132 https://gab.com/groups/51133 https://gab.com/groups/51134 https://gab.com/groups/51135 https://gab.com/groups/51136 https://gab.com/groups/51137 https://gab.com/groups/51138 https://gab.com/groups/51139 https://gab.com/groups/51140 https://gab.com/groups/51141 https://gab.com/groups/51142 https://gab.com/groups/51143 https://gab.com/groups/51144 "The Quad is not an Asian NATO ... but at the same time it is clearly moving in the direction of a cooperative security approach," Davis said. https://gab.com/groups/51147 https://gab.com/groups/51149 https://gab.com/groups/51150 https://gab.com/groups/51151 https://gab.com/groups/51152 https://gab.com/groups/51155 https://gab.com/groups/51156 https://gab.com/groups/51157 https://gab.com/groups/51158 https://gab.com/groups/51159 https://gab.com/groups/51160 https://gab.com/groups/51161 https://gab.com/groups/51162 https://gab.com/groups/51163 https://gab.com/groups/51164 https://gab.com/groups/51165 Countering China The Quad was initially proposed in 2007, but was put on hold for a decade until it was revived under former US President Donald Trump amid China's rise as an economic and military superpower. https://gab.com/groups/51166 https://gab.com/groups/51167 https://gab.com/groups/51168 https://gab.com/groups/51169 https://gab.com/groups/51171 https://gab.com/groups/51172 https://gab.com/groups/51173 https://gab.com/groups/51222 https://gab.com/groups/51223 https://gab.com/groups/51224 https://gab.com/groups/51225 https://gab.com/groups/51226 https://gab.com/groups/51227 https://gab.com/groups/51228 https://gab.com/groups/51229 The diplomatic environment in Asia has changed markedly since that 2017 revival -- and the Quad has taken on a greater significance. https://gab.com/groups/51230 https://gab.com/groups/51231 https://gab.com/groups/51232 https://gab.com/groups/51233 https://gab.com/groups/51234 https://gab.com/groups/51235 https://gab.com/groups/51236 https://gab.com/groups/51237 https://gab.com/groups/51238 https://gab.com/groups/51239 https://gab.com/groups/51240 https://gab.com/groups/51241 https://gab.com/groups/51242 https://gab.com/groups/51243 https://gab.com/groups/51244 In April 2020, relations between Australia and China took a major downturn after Australia's Morrison called for an independent investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Beijing retaliated by imposing punitive restrictions on Australian goods and the relationship is yet to recover. https://gab.com/groups/51246 https://gab.com/groups/51247 https://gab.com/groups/51248 https://gab.com/groups/51249 https://gab.com/groups/51250 https://gab.com/groups/51251 https://gab.com/groups/51252 https://gab.com/groups/51253 https://gab.com/groups/51254 https://gab.com/groups/51255 https://gab.com/groups/51256 https://gab.com/groups/51257 https://gab.com/groups/51258 https://gab.com/groups/51259 https://gab.com/groups/51260 Meanwhile, ties between Washington and Beijing that deteriorated under Trump have faltered further under Biden as the US solidifies its diplomatic partnerships in Asia with a view to containing China. https://gab.com/groups/51261 https://gab.com/groups/51262 https://gab.com/groups/51263 https://gab.com/groups/51264 https://gab.com/groups/51265 https://gab.com/groups/51266 https://gab.com/groups/51267 https://gab.com/groups/51268 https://gab.com/groups/51269 https://gab.com/groups/51270 https://gab.com/groups/51271 https://gab.com/groups/51272 https://gab.com/groups/51273 https://gab.com/groups/51274 https://gab.com/groups/51275 The new American outreach was enthusiastically welcomed in Australia and earlier this month the two governments joined the UK to announce AUKUS, an agreement by which the three nations would exchange military information and technology to form a closer defense partnership in Asia. https://gab.com/groups/51276 https://gab.com/groups/51277 https://gab.com/groups/51278 https://gab.com/groups/51279 https://gab.com/groups/51280 https://gab.com/groups/51281 https://gab.com/groups/51282 https://gab.com/groups/51283 https://gab.com/groups/51284 https://gab.com/groups/51285 https://gab.com/groups/51287 https://gab.com/groups/51288 https://gab.com/groups/51289 https://gab.com/groups/51290 https://gab.com/groups/51291 https://gab.com/groups/51292 Japan has also welcomed greater US involvement in the region. After attempting to pursue a warmer China policy in the early years of Chinese President Xi Jinping's time as leader, Japan has grown increasingly wary of Beijing over the past year. https://gab.com/groups/51293 https://gab.com/groups/51294 https://gab.com/groups/51295 https://gab.com/groups/51297 https://gab.com/groups/51298 https://gab.com/groups/51299 https://gab.com/groups/51300 https://gab.com/groups/51301 https://gab.com/groups/51302 https://gab.com/groups/51303 https://gab.com/groups/51304 https://gab.com/groups/51305 https://gab.com/groups/51307 https://gab.com/groups/51308 https://gab.com/groups/51310 In an unusually blunt interview with CNN in September, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Japan would "resolutely defend" its territory in the East China Sea "against Chinese action." https://gab.com/groups/51312 https://gab.com/groups/51313 https://gab.com/groups/51314 https://gab.com/groups/51315 https://gab.com/groups/51316 https://gab.com/groups/51317 https://gab.com/groups/51318 https://gab.com/groups/51319 https://gab.com/groups/51320 https://gab.com/groups/51322 https://gab.com/groups/51323 https://gab.com/groups/51324 https://gab.com/groups/51325 https://gab.com/groups/51326 https://gab.com/groups/51327 https://gab.com/groups/51328 Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said India was now the most cautious member of the Quad and how far the group is willing to push on defense cooperation and antagonizing China might depend on Delhi. https://gab.com/groups/51329 https://gab.com/groups/51330 https://gab.com/groups/51331 https://gab.com/groups/51332 https://gab.com/groups/51333 https://gab.com/groups/51334 https://gab.com/groups/51335 https://gab.com/groups/51336 https://gab.com/groups/51337 https://gab.com/groups/51339 https://gab.com/groups/51340 https://gab.com/groups/51341 https://gab.com/groups/51342 https://gab.com/groups/51343 https://gab.com/groups/51344 https://gab.com/groups/51345 https://gab.com/groups/51346 Following a border clash between India and China in mid-2020, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers, experts said Delhi has been reluctant to antagonize Beijing. https://gab.com/groups/51348 https://gab.com/groups/51349 https://gab.com/groups/51350 https://gab.com/groups/51351 https://gab.com/groups/51352 https://gab.com/groups/51353 https://gab.com/groups/51354 https://gab.com/groups/51355 https://gab.com/groups/51356 https://gab.com/groups/51357 https://gab.com/groups/51358 https://gab.com/groups/51359 https://gab.com/groups/51360 https://gab.com/groups/51361 https://gab.com/groups/51362 https://gab.com/groups/51363 https://gab.com/groups/51364 But writing in the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs in early 2021, Amrita Jash, a research fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies in New Delhi, said India was still moving closer to the US militarily, including new and enhanced military exercises, arms purchases and technology transfers. https://gab.com/groups/51365 https://gab.com/groups/51366 https://gab.com/groups/51367 https://gab.com/groups/51368 https://gab.com/groups/51369 https://gab.com/groups/51370 https://gab.com/groups/51371 https://gab.com/groups/51372 https://gab.com/groups/51373 https://gab.com/groups/51374 https://gab.com/groups/51375 https://gab.com/groups/51376 https://gab.com/groups/51377 https://gab.com/groups/51378 https://gab.com/groups/51379 https://gab.com/groups/51380 https://gab.com/groups/51381 https://gab.com/groups/51382 Part of the cooperation involves improved tracking and targeting technology, Jash said. "(There is) an imperative need for India to keep close watch on Chinese (military) movements along the Himalayan border and in mapping China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean," she added. https://gab.com/groups/51384 https://gab.com/groups/51385 https://gab.com/groups/51388 https://gab.com/groups/51390 https://gab.com/groups/51391 https://gab.com/groups/51392 https://gab.com/groups/51393 https://gab.com/groups/51394 https://gab.com/groups/51395 https://gab.com/groups/51396 https://gab.com/groups/51398 https://gab.com/groups/51399 https://gab.com/groups/51401 https://gab.com/groups/51402 Glaser said there was one other determinant in how far the Quad would be willing to go in opposing Beijing. "Another factor is China's own behavior. The more willing China is to threaten other countries' interests, threaten economic coercion ... the more countries will be willing to push back," she said. https://gab.com/groups/51403 https://gab.com/groups/51404 https://gab.com/groups/51405 https://gab.com/groups/51406 https://gab.com/groups/51407 https://gab.com/groups/51408 https://gab.com/groups/51409 https://gab.com/groups/51410 https://gab.com/groups/51411 https://gab.com/groups/51412 https://gab.com/groups/51413 https://gab.com/groups/51414 https://gab.com/groups/51415 https://gab.com/groups/51416 https://gab.com/groups/51417 United on Taiwan Taiwan is likely to be one of the key points up for discussion in Washington on Friday. https://gab.com/groups/51418 https://gab.com/groups/51419 https://gab.com/groups/51420 https://gab.com/groups/51421 https://gab.com/groups/51422 https://gab.com/groups/51423 https://gab.com/groups/51424 https://gab.com/groups/51425 https://gab.com/groups/51427 https://gab.com/groups/51429 https://gab.com/groups/51431 https://gab.com/groups/51433 https://gab.com/groups/51434 https://gab.com/groups/51435 https://gab.com/groups/51436 https://gab.com/groups/51437 https://gab.com/groups/51438 Over the past year, Beijing has stepped up military activity around the island, which has been governed separately from mainland China since the end of a civil war more than seven decades ago. https://gab.com/groups/51440 https://gab.com/groups/51441 https://gab.com/groups/51442 https://gab.com/groups/51443 https://gab.com/groups/51445 https://gab.com/groups/51446 https://gab.com/groups/51448 https://gab.com/groups/51449 https://gab.com/groups/51450 https://gab.com/groups/51451 https://gab.com/groups/51452 https://gab.com/groups/51453 https://gab.com/groups/51454 https://gab.com/groups/51455 https://gab.com/groups/51456 https://gab.com/groups/51457 https://gab.com/groups/51458 The Chinese Communist Party views Taiwan -- home to about 24 million people -- as an inseparable part of its territory, despite having never controlled it. President Xi has also previously warned that Beijing would not rule out the use of force to "reunite" Taiwan with mainland China. https://gab.com/groups/51459 https://gab.com/groups/51460 https://gab.com/groups/51461 https://gab.com/groups/51462 https://gab.com/groups/51463 https://gab.com/groups/51465 https://gab.com/groups/51466 https://gab.com/groups/51467 https://gab.com/groups/51468 https://gab.com/groups/51469 https://gab.com/groups/51470 https://gab.com/groups/51471 https://gab.com/groups/51472 https://gab.com/groups/51473 https://gab.com/groups/51474 https://gab.com/groups/51475 Under Trump and now Biden, the US has strengthened its ties with Taiwan in recent years, agreeing to major arms sales and sending high-profile diplomats on visits to the island. https://gab.com/groups/51476 https://gab.com/groups/51477 https://gab.com/groups/51478 https://gab.com/groups/51479 https://gab.com/groups/51480 https://gab.com/groups/51481 https://gab.com/groups/51482 https://gab.com/groups/51483 https://gab.com/groups/51484 https://gab.com/groups/51485 https://gab.com/groups/51486 https://gab.com/groups/51488 https://gab.com/groups/51489 https://gab.com/groups/51490 https://gab.com/groups/51491 https://gab.com/groups/51492 Australia has regularly joined the US in voicing its support for Taiwan and in July, Japan's deputy prime minister, Taro Aso, said in a speech reported by local media that Tokyo should join forces with Washington to defend the island from any invasion. https://gab.com/groups/51493 https://gab.com/groups/51494 https://gab.com/groups/51495 https://gab.com/groups/51496 https://gab.com/groups/51497 https://gab.com/groups/51498 https://gab.com/groups/51499 https://gab.com/groups/51501 https://gab.com/groups/51502 https://gab.com/groups/51503 https://gab.com/groups/51504 https://gab.com/groups/51505 https://gab.com/groups/51506 https://gab.com/groups/51507 https://gab.com/groups/51508 Then in August, for the first time, a meeting of senior officials from the Quad released a statement which stressed the "importance of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait." https://gab.com/groups/51509 https://gab.com/groups/51510 https://gab.com/groups/51511 https://gab.com/groups/51512 https://gab.com/groups/51513 https://gab.com/groups/51514 https://gab.com/groups/51515 https://gab.com/groups/51516 https://gab.com/groups/51517 https://gab.com/groups/51518 https://gab.com/groups/51519 https://gab.com/groups/51520 https://gab.com/groups/51521 https://gab.com/groups/51522 https://gab.com/groups/51523 https://gab.com/groups/51524 Glaser said she believed the August statement could have preempted a reference to Taiwan in the meeting of the Quad leaders this week, which would be an unusually strong step by the Indian government. https://gab.com/groups/51525 https://gab.com/groups/51526 https://gab.com/groups/51527 https://gab.com/groups/51528 https://gab.com/groups/51529 https://gab.com/groups/51530 https://gab.com/groups/51531 https://gab.com/groups/51532 https://gab.com/groups/51533 https://gab.com/groups/51534 https://gab.com/groups/51535 https://gab.com/groups/51538 https://gab.com/groups/51539 https://gab.com/groups/51540 https://gab.com/groups/51541 "I think that will be quite a wake-up call (for Beijing). They've been hearing it from Australia and Japan but never from India," she said. https://gab.com/groups/51542 https://gab.com/groups/51543 https://gab.com/groups/51544 https://gab.com/groups/51545 https://gab.com/groups/51546 https://gab.com/groups/51547 https://gab.com/groups/51548 https://gab.com/groups/51549 https://gab.com/groups/51550 https://gab.com/groups/51551 https://gab.com/groups/51552 https://gab.com/groups/51553 https://gab.com/groups/51554 https://gab.com/groups/51555 https://gab.com/groups/51556 https://gab.com/groups/51557 A united Quad could help deter any further aggression by the Chinese government toward Taiwan, according to Ben Scott, director of the Australia's Security and the Rules-based Order Project at Sydney's Lowy Institute. https://gab.com/groups/51558 https://gab.com/groups/51559 https://gab.com/groups/51560 https://gab.com/groups/51561 https://gab.com/groups/51562 https://gab.com/groups/51563 https://gab.com/groups/51564 https://gab.com/groups/51565 https://gab.com/groups/51566 https://gab.com/groups/51567 https://gab.com/groups/51568 https://gab.com/groups/51569 https://gab.com/groups/51570 However, he said nuance would be important in any messaging to avoid a spiral into potential confrontation. "There's always a risk of going too far and tipping into provocation," he said. https://gab.com/groups/51571 https://gab.com/groups/51572 https://gab.com/groups/51573 https://gab.com/groups/51574 https://gab.com/groups/51575 https://gab.com/groups/51576 https://gab.com/groups/51577 https://gab.com/groups/51580 https://gab.com/groups/51581 https://gab.com/groups/51583 https://gab.com/groups/51584 https://gab.com/groups/51585 https://gab.com/groups/51586 https://gab.com/groups/51587 https://gab.com/groups/51588 https://gab.com/groups/51589 https://gab.com/groups/51590 AUKUS fallout The Quad meeting might come at a useful moment for the US, Scott said -- there's never been a better time for Washington to show it is part of a broad, cohesive community in Asia. https://gab.com/groups/51591 https://gab.com/groups/51592 https://gab.com/groups/51593 https://gab.com/groups/51594 https://gab.com/groups/51595 https://gab.com/groups/51596 https://gab.com/groups/51597 https://gab.com/groups/51598 https://gab.com/groups/51599 https://gab.com/groups/51600 https://gab.com/groups/51601 https://gab.com/groups/51603 https://gab.com/groups/51604 https://gab.com/groups/51605 https://gab.com/groups/51606 https://gab.com/groups/51607 https://gab.com/groups/51608 https://gab.com/groups/51609 https://gab.com/groups/51613 Scott said while he believed the AUKUS agreement had been a positive step for US diplomacy in Asia, it had also presented a very "Anglosphere" face to the region. http://paste.jp/1b04235e/ https://controlc.com/10d9aae5 https://ide.geeksforgeeks.org/KoyxsfGoz3 https://paste.firnsy.com/paste/qSiSk9qg4Qs https://paiza.io/projects/7TMGRyeadAz0qAYOMgRa0g?language=php https://jsfiddle.net/kepinajach/tzn3smyg/ https://onlinegdb.com/udkDcpPRj https://rentry.co/mpe3d https://pastebin.com/swDk2S1T http://cpp.sh/8ajm4t https://www.peeranswer.com/question/614e91536515c84c50ec5bcd https://elouise.cookpad-blog.jp/articles/668783 https://www.getrevue.co/profile/biden-is-bringing-together "It is self described as a club of maritime democracies which automatically excludes most of Southeast Asia," Scott said. "(And) the center of gravity for (US-China) competition is in Southeast Asia." In a September 17 statement, Indonesia said it was "deeply concerned" about an arms race in Asia Pacific, and called on Australia to respect international law and its commitment to peace and stability. A day later, Malaysia said the AUKUS deal could provoke other powers to "act more aggressively in the region, especially the South China Sea." By being part of a larger cooperative agreement with Japan and India, Scott said the US can present a more diverse face to Southeast Asia, among other parts of the continent -- one that isn't solely concentrated on military brinksmanship but also economic and political cooperation.