‘QUAD SUMMIT STRENGTHENS U.S. HAND AHEAD OF TALKS WITH CHINA’

• The U.S. has sought to build strength before engaging China later this week and the Quad summit is an example of this.
• Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan are scheduled to meet China’s Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi soon.
• Both U.S. officials have been extensively engaged with allies, primarily in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, since the administration kicked off on January 20.
• Blinken is currently visiting Tokyo and Seoul along with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Working together:

• AN US official said that the Quad [summit] last week was probably the most important very clear illustration in practical terms of exactly what we’re trying to achieve here, bringing together the four leaders in a virtual summit for the first time to actually do something together that we couldn’t do individually, particularly on the vaccine distribution deliverable that was big and affirmative for the region.
• This isn’t just about something that is here to counter China. This is about something that’s actually about doing something that enhances our leverage, enhances the quality of life in the region in meaningful ways.
• S. President Joe Biden hosted the first ever summit level meeting of the Quad grouping — the U.S., India, Australia and Japan.
• The group announced a plan to produce and distribute up to 1 billion vaccines to overcome shortages in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
• It was important for Beijing to hear directly from Mr. Blinken and Mr. Sullivan and that sometimes there is a “hope in Beijing that our public message is somehow different” from private message.
• “And we think it’s really important that we dispel that idea very early, and that we’re very clear with delivering the same messages in private that you have heard from us in public,” they said.
• The U.S. has said it will discuss a long list of concerns with China — these include human rights abuses, Chinese aggression in the neighbourhood, an erosion of democratic norms in Hong Kong and some of Beijing’s economic practices and policies.

No joint statement:

• A meeting that involved both the Secretary of State and the National Security Adviser is also expected to send a message to Beijing that different parts of the administration were singing from the same song sheet.
• The official said Beijing had a track record of attempting to try to play favourites within an administration and in particular to play the Secretary of State and National Security Adviser off each other.
• The official also said there will not be a joint statement from the U.S. and China following this week’s meetings and that the U.S. is also not expecting “ specific negotiated deliverables” from the talks.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,MINT