First Quad leaders’ summit after two years in Manila next month, Rubio confirms

The Quad leaders are expected to meet in Manila, the Philippine capital, next month during the ASEAN conference. The Philippines is chairing ASEAN this year and will host major meetings from November 16 to 18. Rubio said the exact summit date has not yet been fixed.

The meeting matters because it will be the Quad’s first leaders’ summit in more than two years. The last one took place in September 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware. The group is also important because it is widely viewed as a way for four countries to respond to China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.

The timing adds significance. The summit is expected just days before Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen. Quad foreign ministers will meet in late October in Atlanta to prepare. The leaders’ meeting comes as regional partners question Washington’s long-term security commitments and China’s influence continues to grow.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly called the Quad, is an informal grouping that brings together the United States, Japan, India and Australia. It provides a regular framework for leaders and foreign ministers to discuss shared concerns in the Indo-Pacific.

Its work extends beyond military questions. In May, the four countries announced initiatives on maritime and economic security, including the US$20 billion Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework. The foreign ministers also reaffirmed support for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” at their July meeting in Manila.

The Quad matters because it gives four influential regional partners a way to coordinate without being described in the article as a formal alliance. It is widely seen as a mechanism to counter China’s influence. Ministers continue meeting even when leaders’ summits are delayed, keeping cooperation active while political priorities shift.

The four Quad members are the United States, Japan, India and Australia. They meet through an informal diplomatic and security framework that includes leaders’ summits and foreign-minister discussions.

Their shared regional goal is reflected in their repeated commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific”. The grouping also works on practical concerns, including maritime and economic security. Its May initiatives included the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, valued at US$20 billion.

The partnership is widely seen as a way to counter China’s influence in a strategically important region. That does not mean every Quad activity is military. The countries also coordinate economically and diplomatically. Their ministers continued meeting in Manila in July despite delays to the leaders’ summit, showing that cooperation operates at several levels.

The last Quad leaders’ summit took place in September 2024 in Wilmington, Delaware, Joe Biden’s hometown. Rubio’s announcement therefore points to a gap of more than two years before the next leaders’ meeting in Manila.

India was supposed to host the summit in 2025, but it was repeatedly postponed. The article links the delays to deteriorating relations between New Delhi and Washington. Disagreements included US tariffs, oil sanctions and visa restrictions, all of which complicated cooperation between two key Quad members.

The Quad did not stop working during the delay. Foreign ministers continued to meet, including in Manila in July, where all four countries reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Ministers are also scheduled to meet in Atlanta in late October to make final preparations for the leaders’ summit.

The Quad announced a US$20 billion Critical Minerals Initiative Framework during a meeting in May. The initiative is one of several new efforts connected to maritime and economic security.

Critical minerals are important inputs for many modern industries and technologies, so the initiative focuses on strengthening economic security. The article gives the framework’s value but does not specify how the money will be divided or which minerals are covered. It presents the initiative as part of the Quad’s broader practical cooperation.

The framework shows that the Quad’s agenda is wider than traditional military coordination. The four countries are also trying to address economic vulnerabilities while supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. The initiative could become especially significant as the group responds to China’s growing regional influence, although the article does not detail its implementation timetable.

The Quad seeks to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, a strategically vital region. Its members repeatedly support a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, making regional access, stability and cooperation central themes of the grouping.

The mechanism is coordination among the United States, Japan, India and Australia. They hold leaders’ and ministers’ meetings, discuss maritime security, and launch economic initiatives. The US$20 billion Critical Minerals Initiative Framework is one concrete example. These activities give the four countries shared projects as well as a platform for political consultation.

The Quad is widely seen as a mechanism to counter China’s influence. Its future role is being tested by shifting priorities in Washington and concerns about US security commitments. The group is still moving ahead: ministers are preparing for the Manila summit, even as Trump maintains direct engagement with Xi Jinping.

The Quad is described in the article as an informal grouping. That means it provides a flexible forum for the United States, Japan, India and Australia to coordinate on regional issues without the formal treaty structure associated with a military alliance.

A formal alliance generally creates explicit obligations, such as promises of mutual defense, and may establish permanent command arrangements. An informal group instead depends on recurring meetings, political agreement and practical projects. The Quad’s ministerial meetings, leaders’ summits and Critical Minerals Initiative illustrate this coordination-based model.

This flexibility helps the Quad continue working when summit plans are delayed or members’ relations become strained. Foreign ministers still met in Manila after the leaders’ meeting was postponed. However, an informal structure can make commitments less automatic. The article’s concerns about Washington’s long-term security commitments highlight why partners may watch the Quad’s future direction closely.