Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of accession by China to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership on his Department’s policies on UK-China relations.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) membership is open to all economies able to satisfy the Auckland Principles: preparedness to meet the agreement's high standards; a demonstrated pattern of complying with trade commitments; and recognition that decisions are dependent on the consensus of the CPTPP membership. Discussion among CPTPP members is progressing on how to take forward accessions. Until a decision is reached by CPTPP members on this, it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of any other economies' interest in the agreement.