TPP member states commit to regional economic, trade integration
Member
states of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) committed to seeking a new path
to promote regional economic and trade integration during a high-level meeting
in the Chilean city of Vina del Mar on March 15.

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At
the meeting - Source: EPA/VNA
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It was their first such
gathering after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the ambitious trade
deal in late January.
Addressing the media,
Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz said participants voiced concern over
protectionism in many parts of the world and reiterated their commitment to
work together to keep markets free and open, advance regional economic
integration and strengthen the rules-based international trading system.
According to him, 11 TPP
member countries, excluding the US, affirmed the importance of the deal and
mentioned various options going forward.
The ministers said a
ministerial meeting be convened to decide the future of the pact in May, when
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum takes place in Vietnam, he
said.
In a short communiqué issued
following the meeting, US Ambassador to Chile Carol Perez stated that the White
House is willing to hold dialogues with Asian-Pacific partners and expressed
hope to continue being a key member in the region.
She said the US government
has outlined a trade roadmap to increase exchanges with all Asian-Pacific
partners via high-level agreements for trade liberalisation and fairness.
Besides Japan and the US,
the TPP includes 10 other countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile,
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Source:
VNA