President Biden must work with Congress to promote American interests in Asia-Pacific region

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida convened at Camp David to discuss North Korea and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) increasing hostility and roll out a series of economic and military-centered initiatives.  

As a proud American who was born in South Korea, lived in Japan and is now a member of Congress from Southern California, these developments are extremely promising and personally very encouraging. I have been very vocal in advocating for the healing of relations between Japan and South Korea. Only by working together can we hope to successfully stop the CCP’s bid for global dominance. That is why I sent a letter to President Yoon ahead of his address to Congress in April, commending his ongoing work to improve relations between South Korea and Japan, and encouraging trilateral relations with the United States. 

Since being elected, I have been committed to the prosperity and peace that comes with this trilateral partnership, and I remind officials from all three countries anytime we meet. Our three countries are a beacon of freedom in the region and together can ensure prosperity for all. While the summit was a great step towards this future, there is still much work to be done. There are already strong steps towards deterrence and military cooperation being taken, but there is still more work to do on economic security.  

I recently returned from bipartisan congressional trade meetings in Asia that included meetings in South Korea with President Yoon and other ministers. It is imperative we use this momentum to establish a strong foundation that will stabilize the Pacific region and bring economic benefits to all three economies and the region. We can do that with strong trade agreements that will enhance economic, security and other benefits including technological advancements. 

Japan and South Korea have increased their investment within the United States in recent years, and with new technologies being developed, that investment could grow with time. This will create high-paying jobs within the U.S. that will boost local economies. 

It is concerning, however, that President Biden is trying to circumvent Congress by negotiating the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) without congressional approval. Congress has constitutional authority over trade, and there is a bipartisan coalition of members who are ready to work on effective, shared commitments to peace and our economic partnership within the law as dictated by the Constitution.  

The United States stands to benefit greatly from the elimination of economic barriers on goods going to the Asia-Pacific region. The lack of U.S. involvement in major trade agreements in the region has created a major void. The world's largest free trade agreement (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), which came into effect last year, is based in the region. The United States is not a participant. It would be beneficial for the U.S. to explore a comprehensive free trade agreement that involves likeminded allies. If President Biden works with Congress, we can eliminate economic barriers and improve partnerships that reflect our values while improving the market access for exporters across the United States. 

America and our allies need to stay at the cutting edge of innovation, and it is time for President Biden to work with Congress to ensure we are engaged with constitutionally supported agreements. This administration has struggled to create meaningful progress in our foreign policy that benefit Americans, but together we can establish agreements with strong standards and ensure that we hold our trading partners accountable through tough and consistent enforcement that will create more U.S. jobs.  

As a proud Korean American who immigrated to the United States from Japan, I was encouraged by the historical trilateral summit held at Camp David. There is strength in unity, and I hope more will come from this summit. We cannot waste time. President Biden must work with Congress on proper economic agreements that promote American interest.  

Michelle Steel represents California’s 45th District.