ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the Quad is being viewed from China, and how Chinese academics and government- and military-affiliated analysts view its potential impact on Chinese interests in the region. While Beijing was successful in slowing Quad cooperation, in 2007–2008, China’s re-evaluation of the balance of power in Asia following the 2008 financial crisis helped bring the Quad back into play. Some Chinese authors see the Quad as a work in progress and caution against conducting what they refer to as “undermining work”. Moreover, in June 2020, the worst military escalation between the two sides in 40 years broke out in the disputed Galwan River Valley region, resulting in the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers and helping to spur nationwide anti-China protests. Since its inception, the ability of the Quad to retain cohesion has, to a large extent, been driven by Beijing’s assessment of the balance of power in the region, and China’s corresponding behaviour.
