UK was officially approved to join the CPTPP, Japanese media: the framework expanded for the first time

According to a report by Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) on the 16th. The “Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement” (CPTPP) held a ministerial meeting in Auckland. And officially approved the UK joining the framework. According to reports, this is the first expansion of the framework. With the joining of the United Kingdom. The membership has increase to 12 countries, and the economic area has also been extend to Europe.

CPTPP was formerly know as TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement), which was sign in October 2015 by 12 countries. Including the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam. In January 2017, the then-U.S. President Trump signed an executive order after taking office, announcing his withdrawal from the TPP. After the United States withdrew, Japan began to lead the promotion of the TPP, which was subsequently rename the CPTPP. After repeated consultations, 11 member states completed the CPTPP negotiations in early 2018, and on December 30 of the same year, the CPTPP came into effect.

UK’s accession process

The UK formally applied to join the CPTPP on February 1, 2021. In June of the same year, CPTPP launched the UK’s accession process and established a working group. The British government previously stated that after a round of intensive talks in Vietnam earlier this month, all CPTPP member states agreed to join the UK. Next, the UK and all CPTPP member states will complete the final legal and administrative steps so that the UK can officially join the CPTPP in 2023.

Regarding the issue of joining the CPTPP, at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Commerce of China on July 13, a foreign media reporter asked: “The UK will officially join the CPTPP this weekend. Is it expected that China’s application for joining will be accepted next?” ? Because China is the next country to apply to join the CPTPP after the UK.” Regarding this, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Shu Jueting said: “China is communicating and consulting with all members in accordance with the procedures for joining the CPTPP.”