(Bandar Seri Begawan, 22nd) Prime Minister's Office Minister and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, Dato Liu Guangming, recently attended the 9th Committee Meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) held in Melbourne, Australia.
The meeting was chaired by Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell. Attending the meeting were ministers, heads of delegations, and representatives from CPTPP member countries including: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
During the meeting, Brunei, together with other CPTPP contracting parties, warmly welcomed the first-ever trade and investment dialogues between the CPTPP and ASEAN, as well as between the CPTPP contracting parties and the European Union.
These dialogues were held during the CPTPP Committee Meeting, highlighting the joint commitment of all parties to promote fair and open trade, support sustainable growth, and foster a predictable trading environment. The CPTPP Committee also welcomed the good progress made in discussions regarding Costa Rica’s process of joining the agreement.
In addition, under the Auckland Principles, four candidate countries have been identified, namely Indonesia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay. CPTPP has decided to initiate the accession process for Uruguay, and for other countries, the accession process will commence in 2026 as appropriate.
The CPTPP Committee emphasized its commitment to ensuring that the agreement maintains high standards and remains relevant to practical needs. To this end, the Committee endorsed the results of the general review, including negotiating to update certain chapters starting in early 2026. These chapters cover areas such as e-commerce, trade in services, customs and trade facilitation, competitiveness and business facilitation, as well as trade and women's economic empowerment. In addition, relevant measures will be developed to further strengthen the agreement, particularly in investment, economic coercion, and market-distorting practices.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Finance and Economy Ministry Permanent Secretary (Economy, Trade and Industry) Faizah and officials from the Department of Trade. The CPTPP Committee also endorsed the Joint Ministerial Statement issued at the 9th CPTPP Committee Meeting, which can be accessed via the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.