Indo-Pacific ministers talk skills training, not tariffs, at U.S. gathering

Nikkei Asia ^

[FarCenter]

NEW YORK -- Ministers from 14 countries opened the first in-person meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in Los Angeles on Thursday, looking to advance the U.S.-led initiative meant to compete with China in the region.

The talks are to focus on the IPEF's four pillars: fair and resilient trade; supply chain resilience; clean energy, decarbonization and infrastructure; and taxes and anti-corruption.

The IPEF is not a formal trade agreement but a trade partnership, omitting discussion of tariff eliminations and market access. It represents a major departure from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

A new digital skills training initiative aimed at women and girls in emerging Indo-Pacific markets was announced by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who are hosting the meeting.

The IPEF Upskilling Initiative includes commitments from 14 American companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft to provide about 7 million training and education opportunities to women and girls over the next decade.

"We must prioritize lifelong learning for our women," Tai said. "We must equip them with relevant skills to help them thrive in the digital and green economies of the future."

This program will focus on Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

[dfwgator]

"We must prioritize lifelong learning for our women,"

No wonder the rest of the world thinks we're ridiculous.