Quad leaders’ meeting first after pact agreed

Leaders of the US, Japan, India and Australia were scheduled to meet in person as a group for the first time on Friday for a summit expected to bring progress on COVID-19 vaccines, infrastructure and technological cooperation. The meeting of the Quad was taking place just over a week after the US, Britain and Australia announced a security pact under which Australia will be provided with nuclear-powered submarines, a move that has been denounced by China. Beijing has denounced the Quad as a Cold War construct and said that the AUKUS alliance would intensify an arms race in the region.