Todd McClay attends a meeting of the Pacific Alliance in Vina del Mar, Chile, on March 14, 2017. The New Zealand trade minister welcomed the cabinet's desiction to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal on Thursday. Trade Minister Todd McClay welcomed the cabinet's decision to ratify the free-trade pact and said it shows leadership with Japan, which completed domestic ratification procedures last December, despite US withdrawal from the deal. Sources close to the negotiations have said some signatories including Japan and New Zealand are discussing the possibility of bringing it into force without Washington's participation. McClay will accompany English on his three-day trip to Japan from Tuesday, during which the premier will meet his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

Source: Bangkok Post May 11, 2017 07:18 UTC