Advertisement
US envoy backs ‘free, open’ Indo-Pacific at Quad meeting in Beijing amid PLA Taiwan drills
Some analysts, however, say Quad is losing significance under Trump despite this latest show of unity and deterrence by the regional bloc
Reading Time:5 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
32
Khushboo Razdanin Washington
In a pointed display of diplomatic unity, the US ambassador to China announced that the envoys of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) nations – the United States, Australia, India, and Japan – had met in Beijing, just as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire exercises during its large-scale military drills around Taiwan.
“The Quad is a force for good, working to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. It is always great to meet with the Quad Ambassadors here in Beijing,” said US Ambassador to China David Perdue in a social media post along with a group photo on Tuesday.
Perdue, a businessman and former senator from Georgia appointed earlier this year by US President Donald Trump to manage the most delicate bilateral relationship, added that relations among the four countries “continue to be strong”.
Advertisement
The Quad is an informal strategic forum aimed at promoting a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, according to its members.
02:49
People’s Liberation Army holds second day of live-fire exercises around Taiwan
People’s Liberation Army holds second day of live-fire exercises around Taiwan
Since 2021, the bloc has held leader-level summits and focused on issues such as maritime security, infrastructure development and countering what it calls coercive actions.
Advertisement
While not a formal military alliance, the grouping is widely seen as a counterweight to China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x