A new McAleese & Associates report says COVID-19 response, maritime security, climate change and “technology protection” were the fundamental issues highlighted at a virtual meeting among four heads of state representing a group of countries known as the Quad — U.S., Australia, Japan and India.
Jim McAleese, founder of McAleese & Associates and three-time Wash100 winner, reported that President Joe Biden and the other leaders in the international alliance pledged to help expand India’s coronavirus vaccine production capacity and discussed security risks from Chinese activity.
Friday’s event served as the first-ever leader-level summit of Quad members, according to a joint statement posted by the White House.
Biden said the event was also “the first multilateral summit that I’ve had the opportunity to host as President … And on this moment, it’s a purpose that I think we all are concerned about: a free and open Indo-Pacific is essential to each of our futures, our countries.”
In his report, McAleese noted the alliance should expand and formalize its structure into a multilateral NATO-like cooperation.
