EU lagging behind in Indo-Pacific race

If the geopolitical pivot towards the Indo-Pacific was a race, then the European Union risks lagging behind at the turn.

The US has just inked an economic and trade framework — IPEF — that covers the members of the Quad and seven ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Some 18 months have passed since China agreed a mammoth free trade deal — RCEP — with all ASEAN members, plus Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

The European Commiss...