Arequipa, Peru – Ministers from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries met today on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting to review progress on their respective internal processes to approve the TPP Agreement. The ministers met for the first time since the 12 countries signed the TPP on February 4th, 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Joining the meeting were Australian Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Justin Brown, Bruneian Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Chief Negotiator Lim Jock Hoi, Canadian Minister of International Trade Chrystia Freeland, Chilean Vice Minister of Trade Andres Rebolledo, Japanese Chief Negotiator Hiroshi Oe, Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed, Mexican Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo, New Zealand Minister of Trade Todd McClay, Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Magali Silva, Singaporean Minister of Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade and Chief Negotiator Tran Quoc Khanh.
The Ministers underlined that they share the goal of strengthening and broadening the mutually-beneficial linkages between member economies; enhancing regional and global competitiveness; supporting the creation of jobs and new economic opportunities; promoting economic growth and development; supporting innovation and helping to alleviate poverty; and ensuring the greatest benefits for our people. Recognizing that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which links together countries that represent nearly 40 percent of global Gross Domestic Product, would advance these objectives, they are working diligently to complete their respective domestic processes.
TPP creates a new, compelling, high-standard and balanced model for trade in one of the world's fastest growing and most dynamic regions. Already we have seen economies in the region express interest in joining and Ministers agreed to continue to work bilaterally with interested economies to ensure that they understand the standards and rules set forth in the TPP and the requirements that they would need to meet if they wish to join after the agreement enters into force.
