The Philippine ambassador to the United States signalled possible meetings of the “Squad” bloc ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Manila, as Washington confirmed that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would hold its first leaders’ summit in more than two years on the sidelines of the regional talks.
An informal defence grouping, the “Squad” forms part of a US-led regional strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. It comprises the US and three of its treaty allies: the Philippines, Australia and Japan. The Quad, by contrast, includes India in place of the Philippines and is not a formal military alliance.
Speaking exclusively with the South China Morning Post in a recent interview, Jose Manuel Romualdez also voiced hope that Asean would evolve into a Nato-like alliance capable of handling its own security.
The “Squad” and Quad meetings are expected to take place in the Philippines just days before US President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen next month.