(VOVWORLD) - Members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Wednesday discussed the UK’s joining the Agreement.
 Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien attends the CPTPP Commission virtual meeting from Hanoi. (Photo: VOV) |
An online CPTPP Commission meeting, chaired by Japan, brought together ministers and senior officials from all eleven CPTPP economies. Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien attended the meeting.
The Ministers appreciated the UK’s official letter of application sent in on February 1 and agreed on the Commission’s decision to start negotiations.
They said starting negotiations for the UK’s accession has confirmed CPTPP countries’ support for building a fair, equal, effective, comprehensive, and law-based international trade system.
CPTPP countries said they will work with the UK to maintain the Agreement’s high criteria and the CPTPP’s leading role in regional and global connectivity in the future.
In February 2021, the UK made an official request to join the CPTPP.
CPTPP is an agreement that removes most tariffs among its 11 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The Philippines, China and Thailand have expressed interest in the agreement.