New Zealand has left the door open to both #China and #Taiwan joining CPTPP pact as Australia continues its opposition to #Beijing’s entry until it halts its trade strikes against Australian exports. smh.com.au/politics/feder…
New Zealand Trade Minister Damien O’Connor said he would not prejudge China’s application to join the CPTPP. But he warned it was up to new applicants to “reach the standards that we have set” and vowed those benchmarks would not be lowered.
Mr O’Connor said members of the CPTPP have “always been open to ascension by applicants”, but the requirements for entry did mean that applicants “will have to look at the standards required ultimately become members and be accepted”.
Asked if China’s forced labour camps in the far-west province of Xinjiang could impact on China’s bid to enter the CPTPP, Mr O’Connor said “we’re not going to prejudge what China might have to change or do”.
“What the members of CPTPP have committed to is to maintaining the high standards that were hard fought, hard won,” he said.
“And I don’t think anyone has a view that there should be any movement from those standards. So it’s up to the applicant economies to reach the standards that we have set and that we believe work well for us.”
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