The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or “Quad,” is a strategic dialogue among Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. At present, the Quad dialogue aims to establish a free and open Indo-Pacific region and to serve as the aegis for military exercises, trade dialogues, and humanitarian efforts among the four countries.

Following its formation in 2007, the significance of the Quad diminished, with Australia's temporary departure in 2008 and no quadrilateral military exercises after 2009. However, in what many view as a response to an increasingly assertive China, formal discussions restarted in 2017, and since that time, leaders of the Quad have met regularly to discuss cooperation and possible expansion of the dialogue to include more countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia Society Texas and the University of Houston’s Center for International and Comparative Studies will host a discussion with Dr. Songying Fang, Associate Professor of Political Science at Rice University; Michael Pelletier, Executive Director of the University of Houston Institute for Global Engagement and retired U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros; and Dr. Se-Hyoung Yi, Associate Professor and Director of Political Science at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, in conversation with Dr. Zachary Zwald, Assistant Professor at the University of Houston, as they explore the significance of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the likelihood it will develop into a formal alliance, and the role it may play in the Indo-Pacific security landscape.