China has to meet high standards if it wants to join the U.S.-led trade negotiations with Asia Pacific economies, the acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis told CNBC.
President Barack Obama's administration launched talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP agreement in 2010, designed to boost trade relationships with the region. The TPP seeks to eliminate all trade barriers among partner countries and requires them to comply with the high standards of transparency and fostering economic integration within the region.
So far 11 countries have joined the free-trade negotiations, however, big economies of China, Japan and India are still to join. Experts have pointed out that without the world's second largest economy on board the TPP's impact will be limited.
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"We are open to any Asia Pacific economy who wants to join. When a country is ready to meet the high standards it will be welcome to participate," Marantis told CNBC, when questioned on China's possible involvement in the talks.
The acting U.S. Trade Representative also said cyber hacking was a major source of global trade friction.