WASHINGTON, Sept 20: US President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Australia, Japan and India at his Delaware home this weekend to bid farewell to the so-called "Quad" group that he has pushed as a counterweight to China.
Biden chose his hometown of Wilmington for the summit of the four-nation group -- the last of his presidency after he dropped out of the 2024 election against Donald Trump and handed the Democratic reins to Kamala Harris.
He will hold one-on-one meetings at his beloved Wilmington home, starting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday night and continuing Saturday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Biden will then host an "intimate" dinner and full four-way summit on Saturday at his former high school in the city.
"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," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Vice President Harris will not be attending, the White House said.
The Quad grouping dates back to 2007, but Biden has strongly pushed it as part of an emphasis on international alliances after the isolationist Trump years. China was expected to feature heavily in their discussions amid tensions with Beijing, particularly a series of recent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea. —AFP
