Bipartisan push grows for Quad summit before Trump’s China trip

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Khushboo RazdanFebruary 17, 2026 at 11:18 PM

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A bipartisan group of US lawmakers and national security experts are urging the Trump administration to hold a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) leaders' summit before President Trump's anticipated April meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Quad, comprised of the US, Japan, Australia, and India, is viewed as a counterweight to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Experts testifying before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission emphasized the need for high-level engagement with India and better coordination on China policy to avoid misunderstandings. They advocate for increased Quad activity in security, economic security, and technology sectors to offset China's regional and global advantages. The goal is to present a unified front among Indo-Pacific democracies before high-stakes negotiations with Beijing.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Joe Biden 40% India 50% Center for a New American Security 50% Japan 50% Australia 50% Lindsey Ford 60% Xi Jinping 60% US-China Economic and Security Review Commission 60% Donald Trump ×270% United States ×280% Quad ×590% China ×690%

Keywords

quad summit 100% china policy 80% indo-pacific 70% counter china influence 70% quadrilateral security dialogue 60% bipartisan 60% regional security 50% us-china relations 50% economic security 40%