US President Joe Biden said on Sunday the virtual summit he held last week with the leaders of India, Japan and Australia went very well.
Biden and the other leaders pledged on Friday at the first summit of a group known as the Quad to work to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region and to cooperate on maritime, cyber and economic security, issues vital to the four democracies in the face of challenges from China.
"It went very well. Everybody seemed to like it a great deal," Biden told reporters when asked about the meeting on his return to the White House from a weekend stay at his home in Delaware.
It may be recalled that Biden spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first summit of the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition on Friday. It was the first time Modi and Biden came face-to-face after the American leader took charge in Washington in January.
"Prime Minister Modi... it's great to see you," President Biden, greeted PM Modi as he welcomed him to speak.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "It is good to be among friends. I thank President Biden for this initiative. We are united by our democratic values and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today covers areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies make the Quad a force for global good."
Besides Modi and Biden, the virtual summit of the Quad was attended by Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga.
