Quad summit underscores Biden administration's focus on Asia

WASHINGTON - The discordant start to the first high-level US-China meeting on President Joe Biden's watch - on Thursday (March 18) afternoon in Anchorage, Alaska - during which top diplomats from both sides lectured each other in public, will only serve to reinforce the underlying rationale of the Quad: China's increasing assertiveness.

The March 12 summit of the Quad - bringing together the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the US - was notable for the announcement that it will catalyse the delivery of one billion vaccine doses to South-east Asia, combining the manufacturing, financial, logistical and other strengths that all four countries can deploy.