Negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are likely to becompleted this year if all the concerned parties remain committed andflexible, said Deputy Trade Minister Tran Quoc Khanh.
He gavethe information on March 9 after the end of the 11th round of TPP talks,which involved nearly 500 negotiators meeting in Melbourne ,Australia .
This was the first round of negotiations to beheld this year, looking to finalise the agreement as set forth at theAPEC Summit in Honolulu , Hawaii , last November. Vietnam was one ofthe nine countries involved in the 11 th round of TPP talks, whichincluded the US, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Peru, Chile,Brunei and Australia.
Deputy Minister Khanh, who is also Headof Vietnam’s delegation at the TPP talks, said this round sawsignificant progress during discussions on goods and services as well asinvestments for small and medium-sized enterprises.
TheVietnamese official said that apart from taking part in multilateraldiscussions during the 10-day talks, the Vietnamese delegation heldbilateral talks with the US on opening up the US market to Vietnameseindustrial commodities, including textiles and garments, andagricultural products.
He added that the Vietnamese Governmentwelcomed the interests of Japan , Canada and Mexico in TPPtalks. At present, these countries are undergoing consulting with otherTPP countries and the concerned TPP economic ministers will decide onany new members once the consultation process is completed.
The next round of TPP talks is scheduled to be held in the US in Mayand several negotiators will meet in late March or early April todiscuss ongoing differences over existing issues.-VNA
He gavethe information on March 9 after the end of the 11th round of TPP talks,which involved nearly 500 negotiators meeting in Melbourne ,Australia .
This was the first round of negotiations to beheld this year, looking to finalise the agreement as set forth at theAPEC Summit in Honolulu , Hawaii , last November. Vietnam was one ofthe nine countries involved in the 11 th round of TPP talks, whichincluded the US, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Peru, Chile,Brunei and Australia.
Deputy Minister Khanh, who is also Headof Vietnam’s delegation at the TPP talks, said this round sawsignificant progress during discussions on goods and services as well asinvestments for small and medium-sized enterprises.
TheVietnamese official said that apart from taking part in multilateraldiscussions during the 10-day talks, the Vietnamese delegation heldbilateral talks with the US on opening up the US market to Vietnameseindustrial commodities, including textiles and garments, andagricultural products.
He added that the Vietnamese Governmentwelcomed the interests of Japan , Canada and Mexico in TPPtalks. At present, these countries are undergoing consulting with otherTPP countries and the concerned TPP economic ministers will decide onany new members once the consultation process is completed.
The next round of TPP talks is scheduled to be held in the US in Mayand several negotiators will meet in late March or early April todiscuss ongoing differences over existing issues.-VNA
