UK formally proposed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific

According to media reports, it has been two years since the UK formally proposed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on February 1, 2021. A spokesman for the British Prime Minister’s Office said today that the next round of consultations is expected to be held later this month and that the British side is looking forward to completing the accession process as soon as possible. The CPTTP, originally initiated by the members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and conceived since 2002, is a set of free trade agreements in multilateral relations designed to promote trade liberalization in the region. The organization serves as a link between the parties and the development of their populations through a series of cooperation. British officials will meet with economic and trade officials from Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore during a three-day visit to these countries on February 2 to build support for the UK to join the CPTPP. The CPTPP currently has 11 member economies, including Japan, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Mexico, Peru, Brunei, Chile and Malaysia. The UK is the first non-founding economy to apply for membership, and is an indicator case for subsequent economies interested in joining the organization. The UK’s keenness to join a Pacific organization is a sign that the UK is strengthening its influence and involvement in the Asia-Pacific region. The UK’s adjustment to change also signals a shift in the West’s perception of the Asia-Pacific from one that used to be dominated by Communist China to a more diverse region. As a result, a number of influential organizations in the Asia-Pacific are also becoming important ways for the West to enter the region.