Advertisement
Canada to join US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, vows to play ‘bigger role’ in region
- Seeking way forward from fraught relations with Beijing, Ottawa joins 13-nation alliance viewed as centrepiece of American strategy
- Top American envoy praises announcement, saying US will ‘closely consult’ IPEF nations on process for considering new members
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
1
Khushboo Razdanin New York
Nearly five months after US President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Canada on Thursday announced it would join the 13-nation alliance seen as the centrepiece of an American strategy to counter China’s economic clout in the region.
Speaking in Ottawa at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly vowed that Canada would play a “bigger role” and “deepen engagement with the US” in the Indo-Pacific region.
“I’m pleased to announce that Canada will seek membership to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is commonly known as IPEF,” Joly said, adding that the two countries on Thursday “also agreed to hold the first Canada-US strategic dialogue on the Indo-Pacific to further align our approaches”.
Advertisement
Blinken praised Canada’s announcement. He said in the coming months the US would “closely consult with other members on the development of a process for considering new members”.
Currently the IPEF counts among its members Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x