[Photo/IC]

There has been much talk of de-risking in relation to economic ties with China. So how the members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership treat China's application for membership will be revealing of whether that is induced by pandemic-generated concerns or a euphemism for exclusionary decoupling.

With the United States' withdrawal from what was then called the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017, the trade pact should have relieved itself of geopolitical concerns. If so, there should be no reason for its members to view China's application to join through the lens of geopolitics.

After the United Kingdom was accepted as the 12th member of the CPTPP, by the founding members — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam — China's application, which was officially submitted in 2021, should be next in line to be considered.

Given the fact that China is the largest trading partner of eight members of the pact, and is a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, it is natural that it should apply to become a member of the CPTPP, which has broader scope than the RCEP. The latter primarily covers tariff reduction and supply chain integration.

With China committed to the pursuit of high-quality development, its accession to the CPTPP, which encompasses areas such as labor, finance, the environment and the digital economy, among other things, will not only help it raise the bar for its own development but also expand its booster effect for the regional economy.

China has already determined the reforms that will be required under the CPTPP and it has carried out pilot projects and experiments in some pilot free trade zones and free trade ports in accordance with the requirements of CPTPP rules, standards and management obligations.

There is no reason for the CPTPP members to deny China membership. Doing so will be solely to give it the cold shoulder.

As allies of the United States, some members of the pact are influenced by Washington, and it may be very difficult for them to consider China's accession as a non-political issue.

But to politicize the CPTPP in the way that Washington wants is not in the interests of the pact's members or regional economic development.

As shown by the role it has played as a member of the RCEP, China is sincere in its desire to promote regional economic integration and facilitate the region's development.

The CPTPP members should not let the hidden hand of political prejudice and bias be a bar to China's inclusion.

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