As the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) launch event concluded, Biden ignored several shouted questions about Taiwan.
Behind the scenes highlights:
- Biden regularly looked at a briefing book in front of him and took notes as other leaders spoke.
- After New Zealand’s leader spoke, she disappeared from her screen which was replaced by a IPEF logo while other leaders began speaking . She had said in her remarks that she was on her way to the US. The other leaders stayed on after their remarks.
- When there was a technical malfunction with the leader of Singapore and a non-English translation rang out in the hall, Biden gave Blinken a look with a shrug.
- Once one of Malaysia’s ministers began speaking, someone came and told PM something that prompted him to quietly depart. Aides then also brought both Blinken and Biden cups that, from a distance, look like coffee cups. Both also had glasses of water in front of them.