The United States is set to host a virtual meeting on Tuesday, with ambassadors from the 14 countries that have joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. The meeting comes at a time when Washington seeks to expand its engagement with Asia.
The ministerial meeting will be hosted by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, their offices announced in a statement on Sunday.
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, was launched by US President Joe Biden in May while on a trip to Tokyo. The framework is to be used as a way to raise environmental, labour, and other standards across Asia.
Washington has lacked an economic pillar for its Indo-Pacific engagement since former President Donald Trump quit a multinational trans-Pacific trade agreement, leaving the field open to China to expand its influence.
The 14 member states of the IPEF including the United States are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The topics up for discussion at Tuesday’s meeting include trade, supply chains, clean energy, infrastructure, taxes, and combating corruption, the statement said.
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