As global supply chain disruptions persist, countries and businesses are seeking alternative strategies beyond traditional approaches like "cost and efficiency," "just in time," and "offshoring." Recognizing that no single country can effectively tackle these challenges alone, there is an urgent need for a collective response, particularly among like-minded nations. Against this backdrop, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) offers a promising platform for international economic negotiations and cooperation to tackle supply chain concerns.

The Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) is pleased to present a timely webinar in conjunction with the launch of a new paper, Strengthening Regional Supply Chain Resiliency through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Co-authored by former Korean Trade Minister Han-koo Yeo and ASPI Vice President Wendy Cutler, the paper examines how the IPEF Supply Chain pillar presents a unique opportunity for the U.S. and its partners to enhance the resilience and security of supply chain networks, especially during times of crisis. The discussion will delve into a set of recommendations for strengthening and expanding the work of IPEF in this critical area. 

Please join us for an online discussion with paper co-authors Wendy Cutler and Han-koo Yeo as well as Minister-Counsellor for Trade at the Australian Embassy Andrew Jory and former Chief Trade Negotiator for Indonesia Iman Pambagyo.

SPEAKERS

Andrew Jory is the Minister-Counsellor of Trade at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. Prior to this position he was the Assistant Secretary, Goods and Market Access Branch, Office of Trade Negotiations in Canberra. In this role, Mr. Jory was Australia’s Deputy Chief Negotiator in the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement and ran the goods agenda. Mr. Jory was Australia’s Chief Negotiator in the Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement and Pacific Alliance Free Trade Agreement. Prior to this Mr. Jory ran Australia’s goods team in Australia’s Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva, Switzerland, where he played a key role in the WTO Decision which eliminated export subsidies in agriculture. Mr. Jory was also Australia’s lead goods market access negotiator in the TPP and closed market access deals with the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Iman Pambagyo, former Chief Trade Negotiator for Indonesia, has held key government positions such as Director-General for International Trade Negotiations and Ambassador in-Charge of WTO. As the chairman of the RCEP Trade Negotiating Committee, he played a critical role in the realization of the worlds’ largest free trade agreement, and his expertise is also evident in his experience as the Chief Negotiator for various ASEAN, ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, and ASEAN+6 FTAs, as well as the chair of the WTO-G33 negotiations on Agriculture. After leaving the government in 2021, Pambagyo transitioned to the private sector, joining B-Universe Media Holding as a member of Board of Editors, Bahar Consulting as a Trade Advisory Principal, Sinarmas as a Corporate Advisor, and Intibios Lab, Clinic and Pharmacy as the CEO.

Wendy Cutler (Moderator) is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office. In these roles, she focuses on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade, investment, and innovation, as well as women’s empowerment. She joined ASPI following an illustrious career of nearly three decades at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she also served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. During her USTR career, she worked on a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations and initiatives, including the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S.-China negotiations, and the WTO Financial Services negotiations. She has published a series of ASPI papers on the Asian trade landscape and serves as a regular media commentator on trade and investment developments in Asia and the world.

Yeo Han-koo is a non-resident Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Yeo capped off almost three decades of public service as Trade Minister of the Republic of Korea in the final year of the Moon Jae-in presidency. A veteran international trade negotiator and policy-making practitioner, he was involved in many bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations as chief negotiator for CPTPP, RCEP, Korea-U.K. FTA, Korea-Central America FTA, Korea-Indonesia CEPA, Korea-the Philippines FTA and participated in developing IPEF from the start.