US President Joe Biden and his supporters have begun calling the current rise in the virus an “unvaccinated pandemic.”
US President Joe Biden will host a first-in-person summit of leaders from the “Quad” countries (Australia, India, Japan, and the United States) who have sought to boost cooperation to counter China’s growing assertiveness. .
The summit will be held at the White House in Washington on September 24, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
The US visits by the prime ministers of Australia, India and Japan, Scott Morrison, Narendra Modi and Yoshihide Suga, will coincide with the United Nations General Assembly in New York, which Biden will address on September 21.
At an online meeting of Quad leaders in March, they pledged to work closely on COVID-19 vaccines and climate and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of Beijing’s challenges.
“Hosting Quad leaders demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s priority to engage in the Indo-Pacific, including through new multilateral configurations to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Psaki.
Biden’s Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said in July that the long-planned in-person meeting should bring “decisive” commitments on vaccine diplomacy and infrastructure.
Biden, who is driving massive infrastructure spending in his country, said in March that he had suggested to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that democratic countries should have an infrastructure plan that rivals the massive Belt and Road Initiative. from China, which includes projects from East Asia to Europe.
Psaki said the Quad Leaders “will focus on deepening our ties and promoting practical cooperation in areas such as fighting COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.” .
A senior US official said infrastructure would be among a variety of topics discussed at the summit in person.
News Source: MoneyControl
