China claims a trade meeting in Chile this week is not strictly about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, once led by the United States. Representatives from the 12 member countries that formed the TPP, along with China and South Korea are meeting in Chile. This is the first TPP meeting of member-nations since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. from the trade agreement. A spokesperson from China said the meeting is not a TPP meeting, but rather a focus on “Asia-Pacific integration and the next step for cooperation,” according to Reuters. Officials in Chile hoped the meeting would explore options going forward, including the possibility of building on the base of pre-existing agreements. Critics of the U.S. move out of TPP say the meeting opens the door for China to lead the way on global trade. China has expressed no interested in joining TPP, but rather, remains open to “all regional free trade efforts.” TPP would have provided an annual $4.4 billion boost to U.S. agriculture.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.