Asia-Pacific

U.S. to launch Indo-Pacific framework in May

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on expanding high-speed internet access, during a Rose Garden event at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2022.

Jiji Press

17:15 JST, May 10, 2022

WASHINGTON (Jiji Press) — The official launch of the U.S.-proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is expected to coincide with U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan in late May, a Japanese diplomat said Monday.

Japanese Ambassador to the United States Koji Tomita expressed the view in an online event of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Biden aims to build a regional economic sphere through the framework different from the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal, which his country quit.

Members of the framework are expected to work together mainly for stronger supply chains, better infrastructure and decarbonization.

Biden’s visit to Japan is expected to mark progress in cooperation in economic security, Tomita said.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel also attended the online event. He said that a vision to create a free and open Indo-Pacific region and the Quad framework of the United States, Japan, Australia and India pose a threat to China.

Cooperation among countries sharing values including the rule of law is an obstacle to China’s hegemonic ambitions, Emanuel said.