Xi asks Obama to keep China informed on TPP

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.--Chinese President Xi Jinping asked U.S. President Barack Obama to keep Beijing in the loop on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade arrangement during a summit on June 8, but did not signal China's interest in joining the talks.

China appears to be alarmed by the U.S.-led initiative, which would establish free trade rules governing a large part of the Asia-Pacific region without its participation.

Xi and Obama discussed the TPP “a bit,” national security adviser Tom Donilon told reporters on June 8.

Xi requested information on TPP negotiations and asked Obama to ensure transparency about the process and keep China informed, according to Donilon. The U.S. side agreed.

Xi did not make further statements, such as on whether China intends to join the TPP, according to Donilon.

Donilon emphasized that the United States hopes to complete TPP negotiations “as early as October,” suggesting that it will be difficult for China to join the process from now.

It is said that the United States and 10 other members have nearly reached agreement on some of the more than 20 issues under discussions.

Japan plans to take part in the negotiations beginning in late July at a meeting in Malaysia.

China has expressed interest in the TPP ahead of the Xi-Obama summit, which was held June 7-8. At the end of May, the Chinese media quoted a Commerce Ministry spokesman as saying, “China is studying the benefits and possibility of joining the TPP.”

With Japan joining the negotiations, the combined gross domestic product of the countries participating in the TPP would account for nearly 40 percent of the global total.

The United States is also negotiating a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union, an initiative that is believed to be putting additional pressure on China.

June 11, 2013

Source: asahi.com