TPP trade ministers/officials resume talks
New Straits Times | 19 May 2014
TPP trade ministers/officials resume talks
SINGAPORE: The ninth ministerial meeting for the Trans Pacific Partnership opened this morning with the fewest participation of trade heads.
Only six trade ministers from the 12-member grouping attended the morning session.
They were Malaysia, Singapore, US, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
The others from Brunei, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam were represented either by their chief negotiators or senior government officials.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who attended the APEC trade ministers meeting in Qingdao, China over the weekend, also attended the meeting.
This morning’s session which lasted under two hours, was a follow-up to the week-long meeting by the chief negotiators in Ho Chi Minh last week.
The last ministerial meeting, also in Singapore, ended on a disappointing note.
But many quarters believe there is better progress this time round following US President Barack Obama’s visit to Asia last month.
