Biden, Kishida Reaffirm Commitment To Work For Benefit Of Indo-Pacific Region

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2022) The US-proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), expected to get officially unveiled later on Monday, will benefit the people in the region, US President Joe Biden said during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Biden arrived in Tokyo on Sunday and will participate in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) summit, an informal strategic dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India, on Tuesday. The official part of his visit kicked off on Monday. Following his meeting with Emperor Naruhito, Biden attended the welcome ceremony at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on Monday morning. He then held talks with Kishida.

According to NHK, Biden thanked Kishida for the warm welcome and said that the US-Japan alliance needs to be strengthened further for the benefit of the Indo-Pacific region.

"The US-Japanese alliance has long been a cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the United States remains fully committed to Japan's defense," Biden said, adding that the two countries will "face the challenges today and in the future together.

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Later on Monday, Biden will unveil the IPEF trade initiative. The US president said at his meeting with Kishida that the initiative will bring tangible benefits to the people of the Indo-Pacific region. In his turn, Kishida said that Japan and the US should lead the world in implementing the principle of an "open and free Indo-Pacific."

Biden's initiative to create the IPEF is designed to ensure safe and sustainable supply chains and to set the rules for the digital economy, investment and other important areas of cooperation, according to Washington. The IPEF does not include China and is reportedly aimed at countering its growing influence on the global tech industry.