Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Philadelphia on Thursday (local time) ahead of the four-nation Quadrilateral summit scheduled to be held on September 21 in Delaware.
The Australian PM said that four great democracies – India, Australia, Japan and the United States- are committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Albanese said he is looking forward to having discussions with leaders of the grouping including “my friend Prime Minister Modi.”
“The Quad is an important body. It’s one that’s committed to peace and stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. Four great democracies driven by our common objectives that we have. So it will be an opportunity to talk directly to the leaders of the United States in President Biden, my friend Prime Minister Modi from India, and my friend Prime Minister Kishida of Japan,” Albanese told reporters.
The Australian Prime Minister said that “As well as having the four-way discussions that we will have around those three themes – security, stability, but also opportunity as well. We’ll be discussing ways in which we can provide further support in the region to developing nations. Including the action that we’re taking together on climate change and supporting their energy security.”
“We strive for peace, security and stability. As I said in my Shangri-La Dialogue address last year in Singapore, peace and security don’t just happen. You’ve got to work on it. You’ve got to work for stability, and that is what the Quad focus will be over the next couple of days,” Albanese said.
The Quad’s big focus is likely to be on China and its activities in the region. On September 19, National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that China will certainly be “high on the agenda” at the Summit. Kirby stressed that it would be irresponsible if the Quad leaders do not hold talks about the challenges that exist in the region caused by China.
Responding to that Albanese said, “We know that in our region there is strategic competition, and of course, that’s a factor. When we look at the way that our region is operating the relations between the rise of China with nations in our region. But that is not the only focus. Of course, this is a focus on our four nations, the security and stability that democracies can provide, and we want to, with regard to China, my position is very clear. It’s that we will cooperate when we can, we will disagree where we must, but we’ll engage in our national interest. And that is something that has led to an improvement in the relationships with China, that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences there. There are. And we talk about them, and we discuss them in appropriate forums, and we discuss them very directly.”
The Quad summit also come at a political sensitive moment in the United States with Presidential elections scheduled for November. When questioned on a likely change in policy, should Donald Trump win the polls, the Australian PM said the Quad relationship was based on common values.
“The election in the United States is, of course, a matter for the people of the United States. What I’m very confident of is that our relations with our friends here in the United States is a relationship between nations based upon our common values that we have and that it is not just a relationship between individuals – as strong as my relationship with President Biden has been. This will be the eleventh time that we’ve had the opportunity to meet, and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow,” Albanese said.
Albanese further said that US Presidential elections are also unlikely to impact the US-Australia relationship.
“This is a relationship between our two great nations that was forged during World War Two. Ever since then, we have relied upon our friends in the United States, and they’ve been able to rely upon us as well. And just a week or so ago, I was there at the base in Perth aboard a nuclear powered submarine – Virginia Class submarine – that’s being maintained there, getting its maintenance done, including with an Australian submariner who’s been working on that the submarine. And it just shows how close the relationship is, and it will continue to be,” he said.
Quad brings together four countries – India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, with a commitment to work as a force for global good and to support an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific that is prosperous and resilient. India will be hosting the Quad Leaders’ Summit in 2025.
