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In scathing article, Sydney Morning Herald says Biden’s 11th hour Quad snub a gift to Xi Jinping
Anthony Albanese said the leaders of Australia, the US, India and Japan would now meet at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, this weekend.
In a big development, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday cancelled the Quad Leaders' Summit in Sydney, which was scheduled for May 24. This decision came after US President Joe Biden postponed his visit to Australia. Instead, the four leaders of the Quad, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will meet on the sidelines of the G7 meeting taking place this weekend in Japan.
Biden's announcement on Tuesday revealed that he will be delaying his trip to Australia, as well as Papua New Guinea. This decision is attributed to the uncertainty surrounding intense negotiations with the opposition Republican party, aiming to prevent a potential historic default on America's debt.
In a scathing article, The Sunday Morning Herald said Biden's decision is personally disheartening for Albanese, who was anticipating the opportunity to host three influential world leaders in his own city.
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China's President Xi Jinping will likely be delighted to witness the disarray surrounding the summit, the article said. Although Biden hinted last week that he might need to stay in the US for emergency debt ceiling negotiations, the official stance from Washington and Canberra was that the trip would proceed as planned.
The cancellation of the visit was reported by The New York Times and Reuters before any official confirmation was issued, leaving a sense of disarray and messy communication surrounding Biden's withdrawal. Adding to the perception of a snub, Biden found time to attend the G7 summit in Hiroshima but not the planned visits to Australia or Papua New Guinea, the newspaper added.
Beyond the hurt feelings caused, Biden's withdrawal carries significance due to the negative message it sends about America's commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, where it competes fiercely with China for influence. China has opposed the Quad since its inception, labeling it as an "exclusive clique" and falsely characterizing it as an "Asian NATO." Although the Quad is not a formal alliance and lacks official infrastructure, it represents an alternative to Beijing's authoritarianism.
Withdrawal highlights challenges faced by US
Beijing views the Quad as one of the most consequential challenges to its ambitions, making any setback for the Quad a morale boost for Xi Jinping.
Furthermore, Biden's absence from the planned visit to Papua New Guinea, which would have marked the first visit by a US leader to the nation, is seen as a loss of momentum in the US-China competition in the Pacific region. This withdrawal highlights the challenges faced by the US in maintaining its leadership position, as domestic divisions often hinder efforts to prevent government shutdowns and debt defaults.
The Quad summit in Sydney was meant to symbolise the collaboration of four proud democracies working together, but instead, it underscores the systemic issues plaguing the oldest democracy and its aspirations for ongoing global leadership.
