BANGKOK – United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today met with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Jurin Laksanawisit, on the margins of the APEC Leaders Meetings. Ambassador Tai thanked Minister Laksanawisit for the generous hospitality and congratulated Thailand on a successful host year. She reiterated the strong U.S. support for Thailand’s focus on sustainability and inclusion, and her commitment to building on those themes when the U.S. hosts APEC in 2023.
Ambassador Tai and Minister Laksanawisit also looked ahead to the first negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) next month in Australia and discussed the need to maintain positive momentum in the months ahead. Ambassador Tai welcomed Thailand’s participation in all four IPEF pillars and looked forward to their constructive contributions as negotiations get under way.
Ambassador Tai and Minister Laksanawisit also expressed their shared interest in holding a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement meeting in 2023 and encouraged their teams to intensify technical discussions on a range of issues, including labor reforms and intellectual property enforcement. Ambassador Tai said she looks forward to welcoming Thailand to the United States next year and they agreed to remain in touch.
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