China a key focus for Quad summit leaders during US talks

Chinese aggression and Taiwan’s future will take centre stage when Anthony Albanese meets with Quad leaders in the US.

US President Joe Biden, left, Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2023. Picture: AFP

Anthony Albanese and his fellow Quad leaders will announce new joint patrols to counter illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific at the bloc’s weekend summit in the US, where Chinese maritime aggression will again dominate the agenda.

The Prime Minister left Australia for Joe Biden’s home town of Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday for Quadrilateral Security Dialogue talks with the US President, outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the meeting would include “big announcements” including a Quad crackdown on illegal fishing fleets, most of which were Chinese.

He also flagged stepped-up security cooperation in the Indian Ocean with India and other countries, as he warned the challenges to the US posed by China went beyond those America faced during the Cold War.

His comments came as White House national security spokesman John Kirby said growing Chinese coercion in the region would be a key focus of the summit.

“I think it’ll certainly be high on the agenda,” he said. “In fact it would be irresponsible if they didn’t talk about the challenges that still exist in the region caused by aggressive PRC military action, for instance, unfair trade practices, and tensions over the Taiwan Strait. I have no doubt that all those issues will come up.”

Mr Albanese, who will have one-on-one talks with the US President during the trip, said the Quad meeting was an “important gathering” of Australia’s key ­partners.

“The priority is about peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, as well as stability and prosperity, and it will be a real opportunity for us to re-engage,” he said.

The meeting will be Mr Biden’s and Mr Kishida’s last Quad summit.

“There will be other engagements, of course, including at the G20 and APEC that will be held in November,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Kirby told US reporters the meeting would show the Quad was “more strategically aligned and more relevant than ever”.

“I think you can expect a robust agenda aimed at delivering concrete benefits to the people of the region … (on areas) such as health, security, natural disaster response, maritime security, quality infrastructure, critical and emerging technologies, climate and clean energy, and cyber­security,” he said.

“You’ll also see some announcements that demonstrate our intention to make sure that this special partnership the Quad endures and in fact thrives over the long term.”

Asked whether Mr Biden would tackle Mr Modi on his government’s human rights record, Mr Kirby said: “There’s not a conversation that he has with foreign leaders where he doesn’t talk about the importance of respecting human and civil rights.”