U.S. Set To Transfrom 'Quad' Alliance Into 'Asian NATO'

The Biden administration has indicated its support for transforming the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue," or Quad, among the United States, India, Australia and Japan into a formal Asian military alliance also involving other countries outside Asia.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration “really wants to carry forward” the work started by ex-President Donald Trump in strengthening the capabilities of Quad beyond an informal grouping of countries determined to stand-up to China. Quad has long been referred to as the "Asian NATO" because of the immense military power, especially seapower, of its four partners.

Speaking at the online United States Institute for Peace forum, Sullivan said bolstering Quad into a military organization is a goal of the Biden administration.

He affirmed “the number one geopolitical challenge to the United States is China.” He said China has become “increasingly nationalistic” with its crackdown on pro-democracy citizens in Hong Kong and Muslim Uyghurs in China's Xinjang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Sullivan also underscored China's “unrelenting global ambitions” that extend from the South China Sea to the East China Sea and up to the Arctic with its vast untapped mineral wealth China desperately needs to grow its economy.

Sullivan said the U.S. needs “to be in lockstep with allies and partners” that share a common concern about China's territorial ambitions. He said the democracies comprising the future Quad means “we’re going to stand up for principle.” Quad will impose costs on China for flagrantly violating the sovereignty of other countries with its illegal maritime claims and for violating human rights at home and abroad.

Jake Sullivan

Technological superiority will be key to success against China, and Sullivan said the U.S. “needs to keep its technological edge” in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to show it remains a superpower and a model for economic development.

Quad, a 2017 initiative of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, intends to establish an "Asian arc of democracy." This arc will include countries in Central Asia, Mongolia, South Korea, Southeast Asia and "virtually all the countries on China's periphery -- except for China itself," according to Quad.

Over the weekend, the United Kingdom indicated its readiness to join Quad. The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made no objections the UK joining Quad, according to British media citing credible government sources.

The UK is poised to join the Quad following a proposal from the Biden administration to expand the group’s membership as a counterweight to China.

China hawk Kurt Campbell, appointed Indo-Pacific coordinator at the National Security Council (NSC), put forward a position paper encouraging Asian countries to join Quad.

There is, as yet, no firm proposal on UK membership in the Quad for Johnson to review. On the other hand, Johnson previously highlighted the similarities between the UK’s foreign policy and the principles set out by Biden. (2 Feb. 2021)