2013-08-22 15:32:55 GMT2013-08-22 23:32:55(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua)– The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Ministerial Meeting on an enormous free trade pact which is currently underway and involves 12 countries was held Thursday in Brunei Darussalam.
In his opening statement, Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Brunei’s second minister of foreign affairs and trade welcomed all TPP ministerial colleagues to Brunei, expressing the hope that the meeting will bring positive results that can be reported to the leaders in the next few months.
The TPP Ministerial Meeting was chaired by United State Trade Representative Michael Froman and attended by all TPP members.
The two-day ministerial level meeting will be concluded Friday afternoon, and 19th Negotiating Round for the TPP will take place on Aug. 24-31 at the International Convention Center.
The TPP talks involve Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, Vietnam and most recently, Japan.
Elimination of tariffs will likely be on the agenda of the 19th TPP Negotiation Round in Brunei, as negotiators also aim to address multiple issues surrounding the trade pact.
Andrew Phillip Chernoff 