Biden to host ‘Quad’ leaders from Australia, India and Japan in his Delaware hometown
President Joe Biden speaks to reporters outside of St. Edmond’s Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Del., after attending a mass, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Australia, India and Japan next weekend in his Wilmington, Delaware, hometown, the White House announced, as he looks to burnish his legacy before leaving office in January.
Biden was the first American president to host a summit of the so-called Quad leaders in 2021, with annual summits since then, as the U.S. looked to pivot its foreign policy focus to the Indo-Pacific region to counter China. This will be the first time Biden has hosted foreign leaders in Delaware during his presidency, as he has been spending more time in his home state since dropping his bid for reelection in July.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden’s decision to host Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Wilmington was “a reflection of his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad Leaders, and the importance of the Quad to all of our countries.”
“The Quad Leaders Summit will focus on bolstering the strategic convergence among our countries, advancing our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and delivering concrete benefits for partners in the Indo-Pacific in key areas,” Jean-Pierre said.