Indo-Pacific: Biden in Japan to launch regional economic planCOUNTERING CHINA: Joe Biden is to attend a meeting of the Quad and launch the IPEF trade pact to give an economic pillar to Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategyReuters, TOKYOUS President Joe Biden yesterday arrived in Japan to launch a plan for greater US economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region, facing criticism even before the program is announced that it would offer scant benefit to countries in the region. On the second leg of his first Asia trip as president, Biden is to meet with leaders of Japan, India and Australia, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), another cornerstone of his strategy to push back against China’s expanding influence. US President Joe Biden arrives at Yokota US Air Force Base in Fussa, Japan, yesterday. Biden plans to roll out the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a program to bind regional countries more closely through common standards in areas including supply chain resilience, clean energy, infrastructure and digital trade. Tomorrow in Tokyo, Biden is to join the second in-person Quad summit.
