Semiconductors on agenda of 1st Quad Commerce and Industry ministers meeting: White House official

Quad member countries’ ministers of commerce and industry are set to meet for the first time in the months ahead, and on the agenda will be critical topics such as semiconductor supply chains and emerging technologies, a White House official said on Monday.

“There was a memorandum of cooperation between Quad countries for the semiconductor supply chain contingency network. We also expect semiconductors and critical and emerging technology issues at large, to be a topic of discussion when quad Commerce and Industry ministers meet for the first time in the coming months,” National Security Council Director for Indo-Pacific Affairs Josh Rubin said.

Rubin was addressing a digital press briefing after President Biden on September 21 hosted the fourth in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Wilmington, Delaware in which he hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida.

The White House official stated that four years after elevating the Quad to the leader level, the Wilmington summit showed that the Quad is more strategically aligned than ever before, the Quad is delivering real, positive impact for the Indo-Pacific region, and the Quad is here to stay.

“The Quad Summit, from our perspective, was incredibly successful and historic for President Biden’s legacy and we are confident that it will be an enduring on peace of the Indo-Pacific architecture going forward,” he said.

In a significant development for regional collaboration, the commerce and industry ministers from Quad countries–India, the United States, Japan, and Australia–are scheduled to meet for the first time in the coming months.

The upcoming meeting of the Quad commerce and industry ministries, said Josh Rubin, is poised to address ongoing challenges in the semiconductor industry, which have significantly impacted global supply chains.

This first ministerial gathering is anticipated to lay the groundwork for ongoing cooperation, underscoring the Quad’s role in shaping a resilient future for the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad nations aim to enhance their collaboration to mitigate risks associated with semiconductor shortages that affect various sectors, including technology and automotive industries.

The discussions will build on the recent outcomes from the Wilmington Summit, where leaders celebrated the finalisation of the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network. This memorandum is designed to facilitate cooperation among Quad countries in addressing vulnerabilities in semiconductor supply chains, ensuring a more resilient framework for future needs.

The Wilmingon Declration joint statemtn said that the Quad welcomes private sector initiatives–including the Quad Investors Network (QUIN), which facilitates investments in strategic technologies, including clean energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, and quantum.

The QUIN is mobilizing a number of investments to promote supply chain resilience, advance joint research and development, commercialize new technologies, and invest in our future workforce, the statement from the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States read.

In addition to semiconductor cooperation, the Quad announced the Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI). This initiative aims to empower Indo-Pacific partners by enhancing their capabilities to monitor and secure their maritime domains effectively.

The strategic partnership among the Quad nations is anchored in shared values, emphasising the importance of upholding international law and supporting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Through these strategic discussions, the Quad nations reaffirm their dedication to a free and open Indo-Pacific that benefits all stakeholders involved.

“This weekend the leaders announced that all of our counties have committed to work through our respective budgetary processes to secure robust funding for Quad priorities, National Security Council Director for Indo-Pacific Affairs said.

Altogether, the Quad has a burst of momentum heading into 2025 and will be an enduring part of the Indo-Pacific regional architecture, he said.