President Biden will host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan for a summit of the Quad alliance later this month in Delaware, the White House said Thursday, marking the first time Biden will welcome foreign leaders to his home state.
Biden will meet Sept. 21 in Wilmington with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The four nations make up the Quad alliance, which has been a major focus for Biden in his efforts to combat China’s influence.
“This will be President Biden’s first time hosting foreign leaders in Wilmington as president — a reflection of his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad Leaders, and the importance of the Quad to all of our countries,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The leaders are expected to discuss health security, natural disaster response, maritime security, technology, climate and cybersecurity during the summit, which will be the fourth in-person meeting among Quad leaders since Biden took office.
Biden has sought to reinvigorate the Quad alliance during his presidency in an effort to create a counterbalance to China in the Indo-Pacific.
Last year’s Quad summit in Australia was scrapped after Biden canceled his trip to the continent so he could return to Washington for negotiations over the debt ceiling. The leaders instead huddled at the 2023 Group of Seven Summit.