Thai leader: Asia is gaining strategic, economic importance

TOKYO (AP) — Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha says a new U.S.-backed economic pact is further proof of how important and relevant Asia is today. U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced earlier this week that 13 countries have joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. It’s a new trade pact that will help the United States work more closely with Asian economies on issues including supply chains, digital trade, clean energy and anticorruption efforts. Together the countries represent 40% of the world’s GDP. Prayuth, who is in Tokyo to attend a conference, stressed the need to increase economic growth by keeping markets open and inclusive.