Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Viscount Trenchard
Main Page: Viscount Trenchard (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Viscount Trenchard's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Viscount Trenchard Excerpts(4 years ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel (Con)
I agree with my noble friend that RCEP is a very interesting trade agreement, and it is a notable achievement that it has been concluded. However, we feel that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a significantly deeper agreement that will set standards globally in a large number of areas; that is our priority.
Viscount Trenchard (Con)
My Lords, RCEP is a much shallower and less significant partnership than the CPTPP, as my noble friend just stated. Does he agree that it is hard to see how China could be accepted as a member of the CPTPP, given its provisions on transparency, anti-corruption, state-owned enterprises and labour and environmental protection? Does he also agree that it is very important that UK accession to the CPTPP should be fully agreed during Japan’s presidency, which necessitates a formal request for accession early in the new year?