As Biden hosts first Quad summit at the White House, China is the background music

President Biden gathered the leaders of Japan, Australia and India at the White House on Friday to cement an emerging partnership of four Indo-Pacific countries, known as the Quad, united in their misgivings about China.

Neither Biden nor his guests mentioned the words “China” or “Beijing” in opening remarks heard by reporters as the leaders extolled cooperation on climate change, critical infrastructure and the coronavirus pandemic. But Chinese ambitions were the subtext of most of the group’s agenda.

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“India would welcome anything that counters China in its backyard,” said Lisa Curtis, who headed South and Central Asia policy in the National Security Council during the Trump administration. But after the events of the last month, Biden needs to assuage Indian concerns about terrorism on its western flank and carefully manage alliances as he pivots to the Pacific, she added.

“A lot of goodwill has already evaporated in Europe,” Curtis said.

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