Biden in Meeting with Leaders of Australia, Japan, and India: China's Military Buildup is an Attempt to Test the Region

U.S. President Joe Biden announced to his regional allies in the Indo-Pacific on Saturday that he believes China's increased military activities are an attempt to test the region. These remarks by Biden, captured by a live microphone, came after he and the leaders of the Quad countries (Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.) spoke at a press conference near Biden's hometown in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden stated that his administration views China's actions as a 'change in tactics, not a change in strategy.' China is attempting to improve its economy, which has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and a prolonged decline in industrial activity and property prices. At the same time, Beijing faces pressures to increase spending to stimulate demand. Biden told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, 'China continues its aggressive behavior and challenges us across the region. This is evident in the South China Sea, East China Sea, South Asia, and the Taiwan Strait.' Biden added, 'From our perspective, it seems that (Chinese President) Xi Jinping is looking to focus on internal economic challenges and is trying to reduce the intensity of China's diplomatic tensions to create more diplomatic space for himself to aggressively pursue China's interests.' The U.S. government has repeatedly expressed its concerns about China's threats against Taiwan and recently about ongoing clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed areas of the South China Sea. At the Quad meeting, the leaders agreed to enhance cooperation among the coast guards of their countries to improve capabilities and coordination. Indian, Japanese, and Australian personnel are set to be present on U.S. ships in the region, but U.S. officials did not specify whether these missions would include the South China Sea. The leaders issued a joint statement expressing their 'serious concerns about militarization and coercive and threatening maneuvers in the South China Sea.' Last month, Biden sent his National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to Beijing for three days of talks, during which he also met with Xi Jinping. Both governments are trying to keep their relations balanced before the U.S. presidential transition in January. Both sides have stated their commitment to managing relations and are looking to continue negotiations following Biden and Xi's meeting last November in San Francisco. The Quad countries agreed on joint cooperation to combat terrorism in Afghanistan. A naval exercise involving the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan will take place off the coast of Sydney. Blinken stated that Russia's warmongering should not go unpunished. The U.S. President warned China about an invasion of Taiwan. Biden will unveil his regional plan to counter China in Japan. A short message from Joe Biden to the North Korean leader: Hello. The Quad countries agreed on joint cooperation in Afghanistan. The U.S., Australia, India, and Japan emphasized the continuation of Quad cooperation to defeat COVID-19.