China ‘Testing Us All,’ Biden Says at Indo-Pacific Summit
- Remark cites China as Quad downplays role as counterweight
- US president hosting leaders of India, Japan and Australia
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President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic saying China is “testing” the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region during a Quad leaders’ summit — even as the bloc’s members in their public remarks sidestepped the idea that they are a counterweight to Chinese influence.
The Quad leaders, Biden and prime ministers Narendra Modi of India, Fumio Kishida of Japan and Anthony Albanese of Australia, kicked off their meeting with warm words for their counterparts and no explicit mention of their regional rival. Once reporters were escorted out of the room, they turned to their first topic: China.