Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday the cancellation of the Quad summit scheduled next week as US President Joe Biden postponed his trip due to the impending debt-ceiling crisis in Washington.
Biden pulled out of his visit to Sydney, which would have been a part of his upcoming Asia trip. With this, his historic trip to Papua New Guinea also stands cancelled.
Quad leaders meeting in Sydney cancelledhttps://t.co/S09WLrXkuN
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) May 17, 2023
Quad Leaders to Meet in Japan
“The Quad leaders meeting will not be going ahead in Sydney next week. We, though will be having that discussion between Quad leaders in Japan,” Albanese told a news conference.
Biden spoke to Albanese and Papua New Guinea’s leaders to inform them of his decision.
“The Quad is an important body and we want to make sure that it occurs at the leadership level and we’ll be having that discussion over the weekend,” Albanese said. He said that while the countries had not yet locked in a meeting for the Japan gathering, it is “appropriate that [they] talk.”
On Wednesday, Biden will still leave for Hiroshima, Japan, to participate in the three-day G7 leaders’ summit. The cancelled meeting among the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the US will now occur in Japan on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
G7 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US. India and Australia are not a part of the G7 but are invited to the upcoming summit in Japan. Biden would be able to meet Albanese and Indian PM Narendra Modi while in Hiroshima, according to White House Spokesperson John Kirby.
Australian Prime Minister #AnthonyAlbanese on Wednesday cancelled next week’s #Quad leaders meeting in Sydney after US President #JoeBiden postponed his visit to Australia to focus on crucial debt-ceiling talks to prevent a catastrophic federal default. https://t.co/N08niFg3Gg
— National Herald (@NH_India) May 17, 2023
Kishida Cancels Trip, Modi Sticks to Schedule
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is an informal strategic dialogue between the US, India, Japan, and Australia to enhance regional security collectively.
It has been fundamental in shaping US policy in the Indo-Pacific and is a response to the growing Chinese influence.
Mentioning that Biden was disappointed that he will not be able to visit Australia, Albanese said, “President Biden emphasised the importance of Quad.”
The cancellation does not affect Indian PM Narendra Modi’s plans to visit Sydney next week, where he will also hold a rally at an indoor stadium.
However, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida has cancelled his visit to Sydney after Biden changed plans.
Biden’s visit to Sydney and his stopover in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea’s capital, were seen as opportunities to strengthen US ties in the region as China continues to assert aggression over the area and makes inroads into the Pacific Islands.
The US President had to cancel his visit due to the domestic crisis brewing in the country over fears of a debt default.