In May, US President Joe Biden visited South Korea and Japan with the aim of reaffirming America’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region after the uncertainties and doubts generated by Donald Trump’s presidency. In Tokyo, Mr Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (Ipef) and participated in a summit of the Quad, an informal security grouping that also includes Japan, Australia and India. The Quad aims to promote and secure a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, and is widely regarded as a means of checking China’s regional ambitions. But Ipef’s be…