Ag trade nominee’s plan: ‘Break down the barriers’
Doug McKalip told senators that if he’s confirmed as U.S. chief agricultural negotiator, “it will be my duty to break down the barriers” to U.S. food and ag exports. During a friendly and relatively brief confirmation hearing on Thursday before the Senate Finance Committee, he pledged to press U.S. trade partners to live up to existing agreements.
Biden launches non-traditional Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
The United States and a dozen nations, from Japan in the north to Australia in the south, launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) on Monday, built on common interests in the digital economy, climate change, economic resilience and clean government. "The future of the 21st century economy is going to be largely written in the Indo-Pacific — in our region," said President Biden in Tokyo.