Though it is a mistake to liken the Quad, which has been little more than a few isolated dialogues between the US, India, Japan, and Australia, to NATO, a fully fleshed out multilateral institution funded by its member states that is considered the most powerful military alliance in the world, Beijing would be unwise to underestimate its future potential.

Over the past four years, the US withdrew significantly from its traditional leadership role at the United Nations. The former administration’s overall disdain for the multilateral system, which translated to numerous UN-related budgetary cuts and muted cooperation with traditional allies, has bruised perception of US leadership at the UN and created a power vacuum that China has been all too eager to fill. With US-China competition primed for increased friction, this begs the question of precisely how the US will counter Chinese influence in multilateral organizations.