US trade move viewed as wedge ploy in Asia

China's exclusion from IPEF makes containment bid clear, experts say

The so-called Indo-Pacific Economic Framework initiated by the United States but excluding China presents as an instrument at odds with the trend of regional economic integration, say experts who point to China's vital role in trade and development.

On the eve of the 4th Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo on May 24, United States President Joe Biden proposed the framework, which now has 14 members, including Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. He had first announced the IPEF concept at the virtual East Asian Summit in October 2021.

Despite Biden terming it as a "multilateral partnership", the US-led framework has been criticized for its apparent aim of seeking to contain China through its exclusion of Asia's biggest economy and for being overtly US-centered.