President Joe Biden is welcoming leaders from Australia, Japan, and India to his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, for a farewell summit on Saturday. This gathering emphasizes the significance Biden places on the "Quad" alliance as a response to China's growing influence.

Biden will hold private meetings at his home with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. On Friday night, he met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the same location. Following these discussions, all four leaders will convene at Biden's former high school for a group meeting, an event for Biden's "Cancer Moonshot" initiative, and a cozy dinner.

As Biden works to solidify his legacy after stepping aside from the presidential race, officials promise that the summit will yield tangible results. Key outcomes will include the first joint coast guard exercises among the four nations, aimed at addressing maritime tensions in the South China Sea, where China has made controversial territorial claims.

A senior official from the Biden administration clarified that this summit is not intended to provoke China but rather to uphold international law. The agenda will also focus on ongoing tensions with Beijing, especially recent incidents involving Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed waters.

This summit occurs against the backdrop of a potential return of Donald Trump, who is in a tight race against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.

The Quad alliance began in 2007, but Biden is the first president to organize leaders' summits, highlighting the importance of international cooperation after the more isolationist approach during Trump's presidency. Despite any speculation, U.S. officials are confident that the Quad will remain strong, noting that the first ministerial meetings took place under Trump.

For the United States, Australia, and Japan, engaging India is a long-term goal, even as India maintains its traditional non-aligned stance in global power dynamics.

While the White House has faced some criticism for limited media access during the summit—possibly influenced by Modi's media reservations—officials emphasize that the event in Biden's hometown underscores his personal connections with each of the Quad leaders.

Biden, who frequently retreats to his Wilmington home, sees it as a sanctuary. Known for his deep family values, he has often commuted from here to Washington throughout his lengthy political career. The property gained attention in 2022 when classified documents were discovered in his garage next to his Corvette, although Biden faced no charges.

As for the foreign leaders visiting Wilmington, a city of about 71,000 residents that bears the signs of post-COVID challenges, their impressions remain to be seen.

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