Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Heraldo Munoz said he will push for Asia-Pacific integration, free trade and anti-protectionism at the TPP meeting in Chile on March 14-15.
Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Heraldo Munoz (Photo: Reuters)
Buenos Aires (VNA) – Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs HeraldoMunoz said he will push for Asia-Pacific integration, free trade and anti-protectionismat the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) meeting in Vina del Mar city, Chile onMarch 14-15.
Speaking to the press before the meeting, the minister stressed that it tookplace in a sensitive context for the global economy, with protectionism likelyto grow. Thus, TPP member states need to determine whether to continue witheconomic and trade integration, he added.
The meeting was held to discuss saving the TPP after US President Donald Trump withdrewfrom the trade deal.
The other 11 TPP member countries need to restart negotiations, Munoz said,pledging that Chile is willing to give support to the dialogue to takeadvantage of the agreed parts of the deal after nearly a decade of negotiation.
He applauded proposals on economic and trade integration like the RegionalEconomic Partnership, including ten ASEAN member states and its six tradepartners- Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and NewZealand.
Since the US withdrawal, some TPP members like Australia, New Zealand, Chileand Singapore are seeking a trade agreement without the participation of theUS, called “TPP11” or “TPP12-1”.
The meeting in Chile is attended by senior officials from 12 TPP member states,comprising the US, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Japan,Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Vietnam and three non-TPP members includingChina, the Republic of Korea and Colombia. -VNA
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Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Heraldo Munoz (Photo: Reuters) 
