As outgoing U.S. president Joe Biden hosted his counterparts from the Quad, which was formed due to shared concerns regarding China, the leaders of Australia, India and Japan expanded their joint security measures in Asia's richly traded waters.

Biden stressed that the Quad is a key achievement in foreign policy when he met with the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishda, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra modi, and the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday near his Delaware home. He will leave his office following the U.S. Presidential election on November 5.

Leaders announced that Australian, Japanese and Indian coast guard personnel will spend time aboard a U.S. Coast Guard vessel next year. Officials said that the countries planned to increase their military logistic cooperation. Officials did not mention where the Coast Guard activity would be located.

They also discussed plans to expand the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, which was launched two years earlier.

Biden began the group session of the Quad Summit with an overview on China. The White House had said that the Quad summit wasn't directed at any other country, and Beijing shouldn't have any issues with the initiative. In a statement issued without naming the Chinese government, the leaders condemned the "coercive" and "intimidating" maneuvers that have been carried out in the South China Sea.

Analysts say that new maritime security initiatives will send a strong message to Beijing, and reflect a shift in the Quad's focus to security concerns. This reflects growing concerns over China's intentions.

Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has criticised the Quad grouping for its attempt to encircle Beijing in order to escalate conflict.

Biden said Beijing was changing tactics, but not its strategy. It continued to test the United States on the South and East China Seas, as well as in the Taiwan Strait.

Biden's remarks were broadcast on a feed for an official event. "We believe Xi Jinping wants to focus on the domestic economic challenges, minimize the turbulence of China diplomatic relations, and he also wants to buy some diplomatic space to aggressively pursue China’s interests," Biden stated.

Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea including territory claimed the Philippines, Brunei Malaysia and Vietnam. It also claims territory in the East China Sea, which is contested by Japan and Taiwan. China considers democratically-governed Taiwan to be its territory.

In their joint statement, the leaders used harsh language to condemn North Korea's missile launches and "malicious online activity." An official from the United States said that both leaders were concerned about Russian military support for North Korea.

The group will intensify its efforts to deliver critical and security technology, including a brand new open radio network, to Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia - regions that are in fierce competition with China.

The leaders have launched a health initiative to combat cervical cancer.

Lisa Curtis is an Asia expert at the Center for a New American Security, and a former official in the Obama administration. India, which does not belong to any military alliances, has expressed concern about the perception that the Quad might militarize the Indo-Pacific.

She said, "But I believe China's recent naval aggression could change the equation for India. It could prompt India to be a little more open to Quad security cooperation."

Analysts and officials claim that Biden's hosting of the Quad is a part of his efforts to institutionalize this body in preparation for his departure and the departure of Kishida after the next-week leadership contest and the Australian elections next year.

When asked about the group's longevity, Biden grabbed Modi on the shoulder and told him that the group would be here for the long haul.

Albanese deemed the Quad coast guard plan as "very important", since "four countries may have personnel on a single boat, improving interoperability and cooperation", according to a transcript of the press conference that he held in Philadelphia.

Albanese and Biden met at Biden's home before the summit and discussed bilateral cooperation in defense and security between the two allies, including the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad was formed by a bipartisan group of congressional members ahead of the summit. This is a reflection of the fact that the Quad met on the level of foreign ministers under Donald Trump's administration. Trump will be running against Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, in November. Biden elevated Quad to leader status in 2021.

(source: Reuters)