Pictures | Quad: Strategic security dialogue aimed at countering Chinese influence

With the Quad member nations' leaders meeting in Tokyo for their latest summit, take a look at how far this strategic security conversation intended at combating Chinese dominance in the Indo-Pacific area has progressed.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) was established in 2007 by then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the help of his Indian and Australian counterparts Manmohan Singh and John Howard, as well as US Vice President Dick Cheney.

The group's main goal is to fight China's expanding influence in the Indo-Pacific region.It ended after Australla withdrew after Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister of Australia in December 2007.

During the 2017 ASEAN Summit in Manila,Shinzo Abe,former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull,Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Donald Trump agreed to revive the quadrilateral alliance.

March 2021: The Quad members articulated"ashared vision foraFree and Open Indo-Pacific and a "rules-based maritime order in the East and South China seas".

It is primarily to respond to the region's most pressing challenges, including Cavid-19,critical and emerging technology,cyber security, climate change,infrastructure,maritime security,countering disinformation,counter-terrorism,and disaster relief.

US President Joe Biden hosted the first in-person Quad Leaders' Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,former Australian PM Scott Morrison and former Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga in Washington,D.C.

They announced further initiatives on Covid-19 vaccines,critical and emerging technology, and combating climate change.They also launched Quad cooperation on clean energy supply chains,infrastructure, cyber security,sustainable and stable use of outer space,and cultivating next-generation STEM talent.

March 2022: The Quad Leaders met virtually to reaffirm their commitment to the Indo-Pacific and discussed the Ukraine war.