Malaysia and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral economic ties during a meeting between Malaysian Trade Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. They emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in strengthening regional economic integration and addressing key challenges, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. Malaysia sees the APEC 2023 theme as relevant for tackling economic challenges, with the US being a significant trading partner, contributing to a trade increase of 23.3% in 2022.