The treaty was originally envisioned by the US as an economic bloc to counterbalance China’s growing power,with then-President Barack Obama saying in 2016 that the US,not China,should write the regional rules of trade. His successor Donald Trump pulled out of the deal in 2017,with Japan leading the revised and renamed pact to a successful conclusion the following year.
The application is certain to spark a reaction from Washington,where a number of politicians had already expressed concern about China’s efforts to join. There have been no signs from the administration of President Joe Biden that it’s interested in rejoining the deal.
The application is the result of months of behind-the-scenes discussions after President Xi Jinping said in 2020 that the nation was interested in joining. China is the second country to apply to join the 11-nation deal,after the UK asked to become a member earlier this year.
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The application underlines the increasingly complicated geopolitical situation in Asia,where China is the dominant economy and main trading partner for many. Australia,Singapore,New Zealand and Japan are CPTPP members and close allies of the US,but along with China they’re also members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership,which was successfully negotiated last year.
Taiwan had also expressed interest in joining CPTPP and had been talking with members of the group,with some Japanese ruling party lawmakers last month supporting its entry. However,the Chinese application will complicate that as Beijing opposes Taiwan joining any international organisation or group.