This month’s first leaders-level meeting of “Quad” countries – including Australia – attracted China’s attention, said US President Joe Biden as he warned the world is in a battle between autocracy and democracy.

“I predict you, your children or grandchildren are going to be doing their doctoral thesis on the issue of who succeeded: autocracy or democracy?” Mr Biden said on Friday (AEDT) in his first news conference since taking office on January 21. “Because that is what is at stake, not just with China.