US Aims to Be 'Economic Partner of Choice' for Indo-Pacific Raimondo

Source: US News and World Report/Reuters

March 11, 2024, at 12:30 a.m.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is leading a presidential trade and investment mission to the Philippines starting Monday as the United States looks to fortify economic ties across the region.

Raimondo plans to tout the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and investment in support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy during the visit on Monday and Tuesday. She will then travel to Thailand for two days of meetings for a presidential export council mission.

"We want to deepen our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific, which is dynamic - some of the fastest growing, dynamic economies of the world," Raimondo said in an interview, saying the trip aims to ramp up "our economic and commercial ties in the Indo-Pacific."

Security engagements between the Philippines and the United States have stepped up considerably under President Joe Biden and his counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with both leaders keen to counter what they see as China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.

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