Beijing has applied to join an Asia-Pacific trade pact once pushed by the U.S. as a way to isolate China and solidify American dominance in the region.
According to a statement late Thursday in Beijing, China submitted the formal application letter to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to New Zealand — the depositary nation for the agreement. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a follow-up call with his counterpart Damien O’Connor of New Zealand after the applications submission.
The application is certain to spark a reaction from Washington, where a number of lawmakers had already expressed concern about China’s efforts to join. However, there’s no sign the administration of President Joe Biden is interested in rejoining the deal.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.