The fifth round of negotiations for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) took place in Bangkok, Thailand from September 10-16, 2023. Led by Sharon H. Yuan from the U.S. Department of Commerce and Sarah Ellerman from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the U.S. delegation worked alongside their counterparts to advance negotiations under Pillars I, III, and IV of the IPEF. This round of negotiations built upon discussions held during the previous round in Busan, South Korea.

Prior to the negotiations in Bangkok, the U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR organized a virtual listening session on August 24 in Washington, D.C. Stakeholders were given the opportunity to share their opinions and feedback on the IPEF negotiations. The U.S. government negotiators, along with representatives from USTR and the Department of Commerce, attended the meeting. Additionally, a second in-person hearing session with the government of Thailand was held on September 14 for interested parties.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR remain committed to transparency in the creation and execution of the Biden-Harris Administration's trade agenda. They will continue to update stakeholders and Congress as negotiations progress. In 2023, the United States will participate in additional in-person negotiation sessions with IPEF partners and engage in ongoing discussions. Further details regarding the upcoming round of negotiations will be released at a later time.

During a virtual ministerial meeting hosted by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on June 29, 2023, the IPEF partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to ambitious outcomes in Pillars III and IV. They also discussed the importance of providing tangible benefits, such as technical assistance and capacity building, to support the implementation of high standard commitments under these pillars.