Limitations of the Indo‐Pacific Economic Framework in Countering China's Economic Power

ABSTRACT Given China's dominance in the Indo‐Pacific region, the United States has made the Indo‐Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) a key tool in its grand strategy to restrain China's growth. However, the IPEF has not worked well as a framework that can really accomplish its objectives. This study provides a thorough analysis of the IPEF's limitations, starting with its structure, goals, and implementation in comparison to other Chinese policies like the BRI and RCEP. Using the political theory of linkages framework, this study examines the interaction between US domestic policies and international strategies, focusing on the inconsistencies in US trade policy and the inherent structural weaknesses of the IPEF. The results show that the effectiveness of the IPEF as a US strategy to counterbalance China's more consistent and strategic initiatives is questionable, given the nonbinding nature of the IPEF and the lack of economic incentives for member‐states.